Lucky?
by CassandraMello
Summary: Lucky is an exploration of Sookie's ancestry, fae and otherwise. There is a love story in there too, but it is slow paced and there are many bumps along the road.
1. I'll Follow You into the Dark

_"Maybe little Hunter and I had both developed the condition through a coincidence – yeah, right. Maybe the trait was genetic, but separate from the fairy genes._

_Maybe I'd just gotten lucky."_

_(Dead and Gone Chapter 1, Charlaine Harris)_

**Chapter 1 – I'll Follow You into the Dark **

After a long day at work, my feet ached and my mind felt fatigued. And it wasn't the first night I'd felt like that, merely one in a long string of them.

_Lucky?_ I questioned as I sighed deeply, using any remaining strength to firmly close the door to Merlotte's.

_Hardly._

It had been three weeks since Sam left and I was struggling to keep Merlotte's running smoothly. On top of doing nearly all of Sam's usual jobs, I was working my own waitressing shifts and most of Arlene's as well. To say it was tiring would be an understatement.

Shuffling past odds and ends, my fingers searched the bottom of my bag for my keys. A few moments later, I retrieved the keys victoriously, locked the door, and jiggled the handle to confirm it was indeed locked.

_Another night down. How many more to go?_

I honestly didn't know.

Leaning back against the door for a minute, I absently tucked a piece of hair behind my ear that had fallen out of my ponytail. As my hand brushed down my neck, sticky with sweat from another ten-hour day, I couldn't help but think of how amazing it would feel to fall into bed, to do and think _absolutely_ nothing.

A smile crept across my face in anticipation, and I relaxed into the feeling, letting dreamy thoughts of my nice, comfy bed calm my erratic mind. All other business could wait until the next day. I had an appointment with sleep - a much deserved appointment, if I do say so myself.

It was then that I heard something off in the distance. It put an immediate damper on the soothing emotion that had been washing over me; I was on full alert; damn my curiosity.

Straining to hear the noise, I found that it sounded faintly like glass scratching against metal. My mind reeled, wondering what might happen next. Enough things had happened in my life, odd things; I learned to expect the worst. And along with that came the heart flutters as my pulse quickened. I could practically feel the adrenaline coursing through my system.

_Some sort of supernatural creature with a settle to score._ That was my first guess, way ahead of anything natural, like an errant possum or racoon.

I considered my options: investigate, head back into Merlotte's, walk slowly or fast to the car.

Since there was no way in hell I was setting foot back in Merlotte's until I'd gotten a full eight (okay, maybe six) hours sleep, that option was off the table straight away. Investigating would also waste precious time.

How badly did I want to know what was going on - if there even was anything going on - that's what I had to decide. For all I knew, it could have been my imagination playing tricks on me. Life had been dull; busy, but monotonous. Perhaps an insane part of me missed commotion.

Boldly taking a few steps into the parking lot, I hesitated when I noticed the sound was growing louder.

Trying to lighten my step in an effort to reduce the noise of my feet against the gravel, I continued toward the car. _Slow and steady,_I thought.

I'd decided to stay out of it and head home. If it was important, I'd hear about it later, I reasoned. I was in contact with the local packmaster, Alcide, and also the vampire in charge of that area, Eric.

Though he hadn't actually _contacted_ me in months, I imagined he wasn't more than a phone call away. Not that I'd tried. I was too busy feeling chagrined.

My heart rate continued to climb as I examined the possibilities. No sense in not thinking as I made my way to the car. After all, thinking isn't the same as interfering. And if there was to be a confrontation that evening, I would stand a better chance making it through prepared, than not. Right?

Whatever was in the woods could be dangerous, like the maenad I'd encountered. But it could also be someone or something that needed help, like Eric when he'd been magically transported to Bon Temps, running around without a clue (or shoes).

My brain gave me another little pep talk when it felt my conscience weakening: _No, you can't think like that. You're only setting yourself up for trouble. Coming up with excuses to go tromping through the woods in the middle of the night. Do you have a death wish?_

The car door was only a few feet away by then and I manipulated the lump of keys in my sweaty palm to locate the car key. Just as I turned the appropriate key forward clumsily in my hands, the noise coming from the woods stopped.

Feeling oddly calm… I pushed the key into the lock and turned it. But before I could latch on to the newfound tranquillity, terror struck as the silence began to haunt me. I swung the door open eagerly and hopped into the car, shutting and locking the door as quickly as possible.

I let out the breath that fear had seized within me and concentrated on drawing air in and out of my lungs. Such a simple, typically unconscious act took over my mind. I attempted to steady myself for the drive home…

_Should I even go home? Is something following me? Am I being paranoid? Am I really sure I heard something out in the woods beyond the parking lot? Could it have just been a__**regular**__animal? Where else could I go?_

I started the car. That's when I heard a loud thud. I jumped violently in my seat and my eyes searched the parking lot, darting from one end to the other into the tree line and back to the gravel covered lot. On my second scan of the far left corner by the trees, I saw them… two eyes, radiantly green in the moonlight.

They gazed in my direction as if they were searching for me in the darkness.

Lightening fast, I unlocked and reopened the car door; I didn't allow myself enough time to seriously assess the situation.

I knew that given time, I would probably talk myself out of whatever crazy thing I was about to go and do, namely seek out whatever lay out in the darkness.

Stepping out of the car, I turned to the left, walking in the direction where I sighted the green eyes.

As I continued forward, they appeared to me as blinking beacons of light, opening and closing in an attempt to guide me. I began to walk faster, with urgency, realizing that whomever they belonged to was barely holding onto consciousness; the periods between glimpses of emerald increased.

When I was but a few feet away, I stopped. At that distance, still all I could take in were green eyes. I watched them battle between fully alert with a vague amount of hope to a combination of tired, sad, and defeated.

Recognizing the feelings all too well, I inched forward until I was able to see flesh tones.

I instantly felt a blush rise up within me… there was a _lot_ of flesh on display.

It was a man, or at least he looked like one; he was mostly naked and appeared badly beaten. His body was covered in cuts and red welts I was sure would bruise badly in a few days time.

He was being slowly pulled under the spell of a beating induced sleep; my heart softened further.

I took the last few steps toward him and knelt down to take his hand. Placing my other hand over his heart, I felt for a heartbeat. The comforting thump was frail, but it was there. The action seemed to wake up something inside him as he turned his head toward me slowly and his eyes fluttered open again.

Chewing at my bottom lip, I was lost in thought.

_How did he end up here? And like this? So badly beaten. Surely he meant me no harm. And even if he did, what could be done in that state? _

When I settled down and finally met his eyes in earnest, I thought I saw amusement flash through his eyes, but as soon as I noticed it, it was gone, replaced by hurt once again. I didn't give it much thought at the moment. It had been a long day and my mind was bound to play tricks with me in my sleep-deprived delirium.

I smiled at him encouragingly and he responded with a weak smile of his own. He opened his lips feebly and then shut them; his entire body shrugged slightly.

Knowing it would be asking too much to try for a conversation right then, I wondered how capable he was of moving… _surely I couldn't carry him to the car?_

It pained me to think of leaving him there, even if just for a moment to drive the car closer, but I knew I had to.

Gently squeezing his hand, I explained what I had to do. I felt uneasy removing my other hand from his chest, it felt as if his heart's beating depended on me. I looked to him for acknowledgement. He nodded slightly and I had no choice but to remove my hands.

I turned and walked back toward the car, glancing over my shoulder every few steps to make sure his eyes were open. Thankfully they were; they were tracking my every movement.

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I tried to maintain eye contact through the entire process of getting back to the car and driving closer to where he was. That was probably more for my benefit than his. It was as if I wanted so badly to save and care for someone, I couldn't let the scene turn out to be a mirage.

If even so much as a second passed with my eyes turned in another direction, everything would disappear and I'd just be Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic waitress, again. Closing up after a late night. One of oh so many destined for my future. I'd never thought there was anything wrong with that before…

Before Eric. If I was being honest with myself and wanted to complete that thought.

I didn't. Not that night anyway.

Stepping out of the car, I plucked a sweater up off of the passenger seat, knelt down, and wrapped it around his shoulders.

Laying my hand against his chest to feel for his heartbeat, I was surprised and pleased to find it had picked up a bit. I smiled at him again. He appeared to be struggling to smile back; I could tell he desperately wanted to return the favour.

His half-smile left me feeling weak in the knees… at the exact moment when I needed that strength to help him into my car!

I opened the back door and returned to coax him up, over to the car, and into the back seat. The process was more difficult than I wanted it to be and with each attempt I found myself growing more tired. Even if I hadn't just worked ten hours, I was sure it would be an arduous task. His legs were tucked under, but I could tell he was tall, very tall, probably even taller than Eric, although slightly less broad in the shoulders. But no one was quiet like Eric. Not unless there were other Viking era vampires running around. Perish the thought; one was enough!

Instantly feeling guilty for sizing him up, I banished the thoughts from my mind and made another attempt to get him into the car.

Sighing, I rubbed the back of my hand across my forehead; we had only made it a few inches closer.

Looking into his eyes, I noticed he was clearly in pain but bravely holding on; the last few inches I pulled him brought him in contact with gravel, clearly not a welcome surface against his sore wounded legs.

I looked up toward the sky, trying not to let the fear of failure overcome me. As I fought back tears, I felt a cool breeze drift past me and an equally cool hand come to rest on my shoulder.

_Eric?_I thought _But how? How could he know, why would he care, and how could he get here so fast?_

His cool voice was the only thing that kept my mind from running away with me.

"Sookie?"

I craned my neck and looked up and found Bill staring down at me bleakly.

_Great, the last person I want to ask for help from._

"Bill… Hello."

"Sookie, I was worried about you, you are usually home much earlier than this…"

He glanced down at the man again to assess the situation. He frowned. I could only guess that he wished I would not keep finding lost men to rescue.

"Bill, how would you know what time I get home?" I asked with a faint feeling of dread that I already knew… I thought someone was watching from outside my house at night. Of course, I was hoping it was Bubba, but no, it had to be Bill.

He hesitated for a few seconds… "Shouldn't we be more concerned with this man in the parking lot Sookie?"

I instantly felt guilty all over again, but this time for putting my need to assert my independence above the obvious needs of the man who lie wounded on the gravel.

"Yes" I replied, swallowing my pride before continuing, "Can you please help me get him into the car so I can take him home?"

He looked at me with concern evident on his face. It disappeared when he caught my steely expression; he knew that one way or the other this man was going back to my house and he would not be able to stop me. The best he could do was assist and hope that I would invite him inside where he could 'protect me'. I grimaced at the thought, but I couldn't deny that I needed his help.

Of course he would phrase it so I thought he was doing it out of concern for the wounded man, but I knew Bill Compton's agenda.

"Of course, Sookie," he stated, and he carefully lifted up the man as if he were picking up a mere twig, placed him gently into the backseat of the car, and shut the door.

Then, he took my hand, helped me stand up, led me to the car door, opened it, watched me ease into the seat, and then closed the door softly.

Before I could so much as get the key into the ignition, he was in the passenger's seat waiting for the car to start. I looked over at him questioningly, opened my mouth to tell him where to go, remembered that he just helped me with a task that I thought was going to be impossible and quickly shut my mouth again.

I would probably need his help getting the man into the house as well and was thankful I didn't say anything in haste. _I would rather not spend the rest of the night in the car with a naked man… _

_Perhaps under different circumstances…_

I allowed myself a small smile as the car hummed to life and we began the drive back to my house.

Bill smiled too, clearly pleased with himself. He didn't realize that he wasn't the source of my slightly lusty feelings and smile.

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A/N Just a quick one here. If you like the story, please let me know by reviewing. ;) While I promise the Viking is a main character (I adore him), I think I should preface this by saying I play around with another suitor (I'm sure you've guessed) as writing practice. I'm working on a story of my own (why I've been a bit negligent on and off with my fan fiction stories, though I _will_ finish them all), and it really helps to hear from you. Especially with this story *wink* Cheers! xoxo Cass


	2. Meeting Finn

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun

I'm in the process of switching over the first several chapters to first person narration so the story has more of a flow to it. :D and putting in some more breaks – I find it easier to read stories with more spaces. No new text has been added – so you won't have to re-read if you've already read this chapter. And if you are new to the story… the next few chapters might still be in the omnipresent narrator – I'm sorry for that. I'm working on it :)

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_I would rather not spend the rest of the night in the car with a naked man… well perhaps under different circumstances…_

**I allowed myself a small smile as the car hummed to life and we began the drive back to my house.**

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Somewhere between Merlotte's and home, I noticed the man succumb to the heavy pull on his consciousness. My eyes darted nervously from the rear view mirror to the road as we continued the drive home.

Pulling the car carefully up to the house, I aligned the right side of the car with the front steps. I chewed on my lip as I backed up and eased forward once more, concentrating on getting the car as close to the front steps as possible.

Silently, Bill placed a cool hand on my right arm. It seemed to wake me from a trance; I unclenched the steering wheel slightly and sighed.

_Of course I'm being ridiculous, Bill could have carried this man all the way from Merlotte's, a few extra feet to the stairs isn't really going to make any difference to him._

I pressed my foot all the way down on the brake wincing slightly feeling my energy further deplete, slid the shifter into park, disengaged the key from the ignition, and listened as the engine hummed down.

Turning my attention to the back seat, I found it was no longer occupied. I felt my breathing hitch and panic set in; my heart was racing once again. Jumping out of the car with my keys jingling anxiously in my hand, my eyes trailed the distance from the car to the woods.

Quickly turning on my heels to look toward the house, I scanned from the ground to the front door where I saw Bill standing holding the tall green-eyed man. Walking determinedly toward the house, I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. I felt the panic ease when I found Bill with the stranger in tow, but my hands still shook nervously as I found the right key and made several attempts to fit it into the lock.

Leaning against the door jam, I invited Bill inside and watched as he whooshed passed me into the living room to deposit the man on the couch.

_Will it be comfortable enough for him? Perhaps the bed would be better… but on the other hand do I really want to ask Bill to take him into my bedroom? _

The idea of Bill in my bedroom gave me the chills and I quickly changed my mind, the couch would have to do for now.

Gathering up pillows from the armchairs, I was able to prop the man up slightly with Bill's help.

I sent Bill into the bathroom to gather towels and fill a bucket with hot water. Kneeling on the floor alongside the couch, I pressed my hand against the man's cold cheek willing him with all my might to return to a conscious state.

Taking his wrist, I felt for a pulse, still sluggish but steady. I was caught up watching his chest rise and fall faintly when Bill returned with the requested items and quietly went around the room turning the lamps on. It hadn't occurred to me to turn the lights on, the image of the stranger in the moonlight was burned into my memory and it felt like I could see him through the darkness in the living room.

I took a moment to register how helpful and thoughtful Bill was being without questioning my judgment or forcing some proclamation of love upon me. Stowing this thought away for later, I slid some towels under the man's legs. Before I could move my hand to gather another towel, Bill had already placed one across the man's lap. If I had the energy, surely this would have elicited laughter on my part.

Taking one of the smaller towels, I dipped it in the warm water and began to clean out the wounds on the man's legs. I cringed noticing gravel embedded in some of the deeper wounds, knowing this was a result of dragging him toward the car.

I sent Bill on another trip to the bathroom for tweezers and antiseptic ointment. Thinking I heard my cell phone ringing from the purse I dropped in the entryway, I plopped the towel back into the bucket of warm water and turned in the direction of the noise but was quickly distracted feeling a small movement on the couch.

Looking the man up and down in an effort to determine if he had actually moved or if it was just my imagination, I concluded it must have been my imagination as he appeared to be exactly as he was only moments before.

With my attention turned back to the phone, I noticed there was no ringing. When Bill brought the tweezers and what seemed to be the contents of the entire medicine cabinet, bottles and tubes of all sizes and description, I asked him to check my cellphone phone. He brought it to me as I sorted through the bottles searching for the antiseptic ointment and stated that there were no messages or missed calls. Flipping open the cranberry red phone, I thought briefly of Eric, and then closed it when I was also satisfied that there were no missed calls.

I began to pluck the gravel out of the man's wounds and was suddenly thankful he was unconscious. This would be a painful procedure otherwise.

"Bill, should we have taken him to a hospital?" I asked.

That thought hadn't occurred to me before, I was used to dealing with supes who preferred not to be taken to a hospital. As far as I could tell, this was just a man, albeit an absolutely lovely man, who had experienced some sort of trouble.

Bill leaned in closer and sniffed the air surrounding the man.

"Sorry Sookie, I think not, I smell magic. I cannot be sure because the blood is overwhelming my senses at the moment, but I would guess due to his size he is a were of some description." Bill stated with a frown.

Bill sighed deeply and I was slightly startled for a second until I remembered that Bill often reverted back to human like breathing to please me. I admired his strength against the bloodlust I knew was growing within him. The room certainly was full of enough of it to set him off. Agreeing with him, I decided to take care of this on my own, and made a mental note to call Alcide and Calvin in the morning and see if either of them knew of any missing Weres or weres.

As I continued cleaning and applying ointment to the wounds I felt Bill breathing against her neck. He was hovering a bit too close for comfort. I was exhausted and starting to get frustrated with his new sense of entitlement as far as proximity to me was concerned.

"Bill Compton! Stop hovering," I shouted, "Why don't you go back to Merlotte's and see what you can pick up at the scene?"

He looked disappointed, but quickly replaced that emotion with determination. He stood up abruptly, nodded in my direction in a very gentleman like way, and took his leave.

When I finished cleaning up the stranger's legs and arms, I pushed at him slightly to have access to his back. His stomach and chest seemed to be relatively free of cuts, but I wasn't sure if any of his ribs were injured so I tried to be as gentle as possible.

I flinched when I first saw his back. It was covered in gashes; he looked like he had been whipped repeatedly. I could tell he was already healing as the gashes were surrounded by fresh pink tissue. Rubbing his back thoroughly with antibacterial ointment, I placed a towel on the couch before I gently turned him back over.

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His eyelids were fluttering against my arm as I turned him. I felt heat surge through me as I looked down into his face. The beaming green eyes searched my face and found my eyes. They smiled deeply into mine. Glanced down, I saw his mouth was attempting a similar warm smile but his lips were chapped and sore and a look of pain tore across his face as his lips helplessly fell flat once again.

My left arm groped around on the floor through the pile of medical supplies for the blistex. Squeezing the tube against his lips, I found myself making such a mess.

I dropped the tube back to the floor absently and lightly traced his lips with my finger evening out the blistex coating. Gazing back into his eyes, I noticed the fingers of my other hand were betraying me as they were nimbly sweeping long pieces of hair away from his face.

Relishing in the feel of his skin against my fingers, palm, and the back of my hand, I continued to stroke his face. His eyes continued to search my face, and I smiled at him tenderly. Thinking I felt my cell phone vibrating on the floor by my leg, I shook myself a little and sat back removing my hands from the stranger.

I flipped the phone open and once again saw just the time staring back, no missed calls or messages, _odd._ He looked slightly displeased at what I was doing and I noticed his eyes dart from the phone in my hands back up to my eyes. Dropping the phone abruptly, I stood up slowly, and walked into the kitchen to get him a glass of water.

When I returned, I was pleased to see he had adjusted himself slightly and was sitting upright a bit more. I placed the glass against his lips and he lifted his right arm and curled his hand around my hand which was holding the glass. Together we poured the cool water down his throat.

His eyes closed in appreciation and his other hand found my waist and pulled me closer to him. I didn't mind the contact. His hand was warming up as he healed, and I felt it through my clothing sending sparks through me.

He opened his eyes again after he had finished the entire glass of water.

"Would you like more water?" I asked affectionately.

"No" he croaked out weakly "thank you" he added softly finding his voice through the soreness of his throat

I was pleased; I didn't really want to leave my current position. He moved slightly on the sofa and gestured for me to sit on the edge. Placing the empty glass on the side table, I happily obliged. I reached out for his hand when I settled down and he grasped my right hand within both of his and rested them on his chest.

My mind contained a whirlwind of questions, _what to ask him first? Should I even ask him questions; I don't think he means for any harm to come to me. He looks so peaceful with my hand in his on his chest…_

He spoke first softly, "I'm thankful you found me, can I ask you your name?"

"Sookie… Sookie Stackhouse" I blurted out and blushed

He took that in and rolled it around in his mind, "_Sookie Stackhouse… good"_

I heard his thought.

"Pleased to meet you Sookie, my name is Finn… I think I've heard of you, you are well known for saving our kind aren't you?" he said.

I was pleased that he was talking with ease now and probably more surprised than I should have been that he knew of me.

"Sorry, you said 'our kind' Finn, I'm not sure of what you mean?" I said delicately not wanting to make any assumptions.

"The two-natured… I am a Were," he replied.

_Ha!_ I thought, _I knew it._ Well this explains his amazing physique and those glowing eyes.

"So you know Alcide Herveaux?"

"Alcide? …" he questioned.

He looked at my face and must have noticed a slight panic forming as I considered the implications if he didn't know Alcide.

"Of course I know Alcide, everyone knows the packmaster." He continued cautiously seeking my eyes as he spoke.

Sighing contentedly, I relaxed. I began stroking his long dark hair away from his face again. This appeared to please him greatly as he smiled encouragingly.

He looked into my eyes and questioned, "What else did you think I might be Sookie… surely not a vampire?"

I was caught off guard for a second and then smiled brilliantly at him laughing slightly, "No, Finn, I didn't think you were a vampire, you are far too warm…"

I blushed profusely.

He removed one hand from our pile of hands on his chest and reached out to touch my cheek, smoothing stray hairs away from my face as I had done for him… tucking them behind my ear.

I continued, "I thought you could be a fairy or maybe a demon? I'm sure there has to be more out there I don't know about…"

He chuckled and his whole chest vibrated with the action jostling our intertwined hands slightly. "No Sookie, of course I am not a demon, I can't believe you would think that," He grinned mischievously.

Smiling back, I found that I enjoyed listening to him speak. His voice had a rough quality about it, I wasn't sure if it was due to his injuries or if he always sounded so sexy. Feeling my face flush again, I wondered if the color had dissipated from the last blush.

"Do you know many fairies?" He questioned.

I rolled my eyes playfully, _wasn't that the question nearly every male supe wanted to know_.

Figuring he could smell me somehow, I replied, "No, not many… I think their world is still kept a bit of a secret"

He smiled.

"There is Claudine and Claude, my cousins, and then there is my great-grandfather Niall…" I paused and then continued, "but even then I don't really know them too well. I've only met up with Niall a few times, Claudine seems to show up mainly to save me and Claude… well I only hear from Claude when it's about something I can do for him." Knowing in a round-a-bout way that had answered his question (yes, I am part fairy), I braced myself for the onslaught of follow-up questions. None came.

"Ah, so Sookie, you get yourself into a bit of trouble then?" His grin crept up higher on his face.

"No more so than you from the looks of it" I stated, removing my hands from him and straightening my back. I wasn't irritated that he had picked up on that, but wanted him to know that I could handle myself.

"I didn't mean to upset you, I'm delighted that we have something in common actually. What is life without a bit of trouble and excitement?" His eyes sparkled and he smirked slightly.

I couldn't help but laugh at their situation, _oh yes Stackhouse you are lucky indeed. Now you've met another man who seems excited by trouble and all this while his body is still showing signs of serious injury. Oh, this cannot be good… why does it feel so good?_

He met my eyes once again and was met with slight hesitation combined with amusement and affection.

Reacing out for my hands, he placed the pile of hands back on his chest once again. I felt comforted by the rise and fall of his chest and relaxed into the feeling. I thought I heard Bill opening the door _damn his timing, I could care less what he walks in on _I thoughtas as I sighed and closed my eyes, easing my side across his lap to rest my head against the back of the couch.

*****

When I woke up, my mouth felt dry and my hands felt clammy. I sat up straight and looked down at my hands, they were clenched into fists. Relaxing them, my keys fell from my hands and hit the ground. I turned my attention back to what woke me up; _my cell phone, it's ringing_.

It stopped for a second and I grabbed my bag off the ground and dug through it for the phone. Pulling it out, I went to flip it open to see what I had missed. _1 missed call… and it was nearly 4 in the morning?_

As I checked to see who the missed call was from it started vibrating violently in my hands. Nearly dropping the phone as it burst into life singing out its familiar ring tone, I squeaked out "Hello?"

"Sookie?" said a disgruntled male voice.

"Yes, Eric, of course it's Sookie, who else would answer my cell phone?" I said impatiently.

"I've been calling and texting you all night Sookie and you weren't answering so that might be why I am surprised it is you answering your phone… if you were capable why did you not answer five calls ago?" Eric said sounding irritated

"I didn't get any calls or texts Eric, I don't know what you are talking about" I replied back in what I hoped was a condescending tone but probably sounded much weaker because I really really needed some water, my throat was so dry.

Fumbling around on the ground searching for my keys to place them back in my bag, I thought, _the last thing I needed was to forget about them and lock myself out of the house the next day. _

I heard footsteps approaching as I lifted the keys in my hand. Gravel scratched at my palms as I moved the keys around in my hand absentmindedly._ Why are there bits of gravel in my hand?_ I looked around annoyed with myself for falling asleep anywhere besides bed.

Although, I wasn't too surprised as just that morning I had fallen asleep at the kitchen table during breakfast.

Hearing Eric repeat himself, this time with less concern and much more force "Sookie, can you please tell me where you are!"

I glanced at my surroundings, which were highlighted by moonlight. I swallowed deeply and replied "Eric, I think I'm in the parking lot at Merlotte's…"


	3. Eric and Explanations

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! :D

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**Hearing Eric repeat himself, this time with less concern and much more force "Sookie, can you please tell me where you are!" **

**I glanced at my surroundings, which were highlighted by moonlight. I swallowed deeply and replied "Eric, I think I'm in the parking lot at Merlotte's…"

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Placing the back of my hand weakly against my forehead, I sighed internally as I sort of listened to Eric rant about how I should not be in a parking lot at four in the morning.

I should have told him off, but I was much too tired to even acknowledge what he was saying. I was thankful tomorrow was Sunday, the day of rest… the day Merlotte's was closed. There was no way I would be going into Merlotte's this Sunday like I had done last week, any paperwork would really have to wait a few days until Sam got back.

Finally feeling like I had thoroughly done enough to help Sam, I tried again to focus on what Eric was saying. I picked up on a few words and my eyes widened, _was he really threatening me?_ _how was threatening really going to help the situation… what he was saying sounded a lot worse than spending the night in a parking lot, that's for sure. _

Bill, who had been standing above me listening to the conversation, abruptly knelt down and asked for the phone. I gripped it fiercely, wondering how he got there and what he wanted with the phone.

My eyes were animalistic as I swatted him away and tuned back in to the sound of Eric's voice.

I stared dreamily into the distance for a few moments until I felt Bill approaching once more, this time reaching out for the phone rather hesitantly, imploring me with his eyes to hand it over.

As I eased out of my half asleep slightly paranoid state, I realized Eric was saying that Bill was supposed to be watching out for me at night; he seemed pretty mad that he had not heard from him that evening when I was supposed to arrive home from work. When I realized the threats were directed toward Bill, I figured I should hand over the phone.

"Eric, listen it's Bill, I've found her…"

I watched as Bill's eyes widened at Eric's threats. I hoped they weren't serious… as much as I didn't like Bill at the moment, I didn't want to see anyone subjected to what Eric had been throwing out there.

Watching Bill's face intently, I wasn't really sure what to think. At first he looked terrified, then just slightly nervous, then terrified again, and then his face settled into a blank expression. He handed the phone back.

Pressing it firmly up to my ear, I swallowed audibly, and braced myself… I was prepared for the worst.

His words came out as soft as butter, "Will you be okay getting home lover?" and then turned hard as he continued, "Mr. Compton has so kindly agreed to escort you" Eric said the last bit with more than a hint of sarcasm. He slipped back into his sultry voice and continued, "I would be _and probably should be, Bill Compton is useless _there to tuck you in, but as you know things have been busy here with the takeover…"

I laughed. The whole situation was so ridiculous, I had no idea what things were keeping him "busy..." certainly no one had sent me the memos.

"I'm fine Eric, I'm just really tired, I know it seems crazy but I really just fell asleep here… nothing bad happened."

He huffed.

"I'm a little overworked," I admitted, then quickly added, "but tomorrow is Sunday and Sam should be back on Thursday, I'll be fine."

Eric sensed I wasn't in the mood to discuss this further and that seemed to suit him just fine.

"Sookie, go home and sleep. I will be calling you tomorrow night to discuss this further _along with a few other things_, can I be assured you will make an effort to answer your phone?"

Even in my extremely tired state, I felt myself becoming defensive… I shrugged, glanced up at Bill and let him help me up onto my feet. "Yes" was all I said in an offended tone as I snapped the phone shut and walked with Bill toward the car.

I couldn't help but glance over at the far left corner of the parking lot. I started to walk in that direction distractedly but Bill deftly took my arm and placed it under his, my hand resting lightly on his forearm, steering me back enroute to the car.

He opened the passenger door and I slid in, he closed the door and in a flash was sitting in the driver's seat. The car roared to life and I felt my eyes flitting between being asleep and awake. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove to my house.

As soon as my eyes closed, my mind was flooded with imagery, images of dark hair and blindingly green eyes. I shook my head to try and wake out of it, but no matter how hard I tried, I kept falling back into a deep sleep - barely recognizing when Bill carried me into the house and tucked me under the covers of my bed.

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I woke again the next day to the phone ringing again. "When did I become so popular?" I cursed under my breath. My head was pounding; my arms and legs felt stiff like I had been sleeping funny; my right side ached like I had been lying across a granite boulder.

_Maybe I had_, I thought. I did fall asleep in a parking lot. Walking into the bathroom slightly favoring mt left side, I grabbed a few essentials off the counter and placed them on the ledge of the bath.

I turned the water up hotter than I usually liked it to soothe my sore muscles. Entering the stream of water, I yelped softly as my skin adjusted to the temperature. Steam rose all around and I settled back into the water and allowed my mind to wander back to something comforting… Eric.

Lathering up my hands, I closed my eyes. I stroked my hands down my sides, past my thighs to my knees where I circled my fingers and brought them back up. I winced slightly when my fingers skimmed over the right side of my abdomen and in response turned to expose these muscles directly to the hot spray of water. I flattened my right palm against the tile on the wall of the shower and my left hand began moving in a circular motion on my stomach. It no longer felt like my hand as I heard Eric call out to "Turn around, lover."

Opening my eyes, I found I was all alone. _No matter_, I thought. I closed my eyes and let the feeling take over once again. I trembled as I shampooed my hair and thought of Eric's long fingers as my hand glided between my legs.

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I got dressed and walked into the kitchen hoping to smell coffee but found only the smell of cleaning product fumes… _Amelia. _

I frowned momentarily, working my way over to the coffee maker. I was pleased to find the pot was actually full of warm coffee.

Now smiling, I reached for a coffee cup and started to think about what I would like to eat. While concentrating on my own thoughts, Amelia's began bombarding my mind.

I found I was too tired to sieve them back out; it had been difficult keeping the mental shields up working at Merlotte's nearly three weeks straight.

Sighing, I pushed the hunger backward in my mind and let Amelia in. I gathered that Amelia had been feeling extremely guilty about what happened last night.

_I should not have let her tell me that she didn't need my help at Merlotte's. It's just I've been so caught up with Tray… I'm such a bad friend; I knew she was working too hard! I can't believe she fell asleep in a parking lot! That surely cannot be comfortable, I wonder if she was curled up or just flat on her back… _

I could tell her thoughts weren't leading anywhere productive so I walked out to the back porch where Amelia was doing laundry and asked, "How did you know I fell asleep at Merlotte's last night, did Eric tell you?"

"Uhh… he might have sent a few text messages to let me know where you were." Amelia replied.

Of course I knew she was lying, it was more like twenty text messages and not many of them were kind. I smiled weakly at Amelia as she bobbed back and forth moving clothes from the washer into the dryer. Amelia nodded slightly acknowledging what I had just picked up from her mind.

_He really needs to stop intimidating my friends, _I thought and then just as my mind wandered to someone else, the phone rang and I jumped excitedly.

"Oh… no, Sam!" I exclaimed thinking that surely if Amelia and Bill hadn't received the sweet treatment from the Viking, Sam would surely be getting the worst of it.

As if Amelia could sense where my train of thought just landed, she called out, "Sorry Sookie, you've received quite a few calls today, I just didn't want to wake you… you really needed the rest…" She muttered "…obviously" when she thought I was out of range, but I picked it up as she thought it.

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"Hello?" I managed to squeak out as my heart thumped in my chest, I had practically raced to get to the phone and was instantly feeling tired once again.

I was surprised by the voice on the line as it returned my salutation. My eyes widened and I no longer felt quite so tired, anticipation rushed through me as I listened carefully to the words being spoken.

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A/N you might want to go back and read Dead to the World to review the shower scene ;) here is the page number for the paperback US edition in case you don't have it written down or memorized – pg 120. You're welcome!


	4. A Phonecall from a Fairy

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thank you so much for the reviews, they are such a treat! I love reading and replying and conspiring with you!

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**I was surprised by the voice on the line as it returned my salutation. My eyes widened and I no longer felt quite so tired, anticipation rushed through me as I listened carefully to the words being spoken. **

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"Dear One, I have wanted to approach this subject with you for some time, but have found myself caught up with political matters… nothing that warrants discussion."

"However," he continued, "all the more reason we need to have this conversation. I need to discuss with you the influence fae may have over you. First you must understand it, then we will figure how you can avoid it."

I started to speak, but found myself at a loss for words. I simply continued to listen.

"There are a few products my chemists have been working on that will be of assistance, but classically the best way to combat this influence is with practice. If it is agreeable to you, we will meet this week and begin."

_Begin what?_ I thought, _what does 'practice' entail? Why would he assume I am susceptible to this influence? Maybe it's like glamour and it doesn't work on me…_

"Sookie?" Niall inquired, "If it is indeed all right with you, I will take you up on your offer of dinner and we can practice afterwards."

_What is this 'practice' he keeps speaking of? Can I get anyone to have dinner with me without having an ulterior motive? What political matters has he been dealing with? This can't be good. Lucky Sookie._

In the end, all I ended up saying was "Okay, Great-Grandfather… I would love to have you over for dinner. I think we can discuss the rest then as well…" I paused, and admitted honestly, "You'll have to forgive me, my mind is spinning."

"That is quite all right child, and to be expected. I only wish to protect you, I am sure this will assist my purpose."

We discussed our schedules and agreed on Friday afternoon. He had hoped they would meet sooner, but understood that I had work obligations.

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I pushed the telephone conversation as far back in my mind as I possibly could. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on it now, I still had four more full days at Merlotte's and couldn't afford to be antsy the entire time.

As soon as I felt the conversation bubbling to the surface, I concentrated really hard on something else... that something else was more often than not Eric and I found myself flustered.

My heart danced in my chest; my body plain ached with need. I couldn't deny my attraction to him, but I sure wasn't happy with him at the moment.

I tried to focus on what I could be doing with my free time. Part of me was thankful for the time, and another part desperately longed to be busy at Merlotte's with customers. The three weeks prior had been absolutely draining on my psyche, but that feeling was almost welcome compared with the nervous ricochet of thoughts firing in my mind at present.

I placed both palms flat against my temples, willing my mind to empty itself. Taking deep breaths in and out, I focused on each one subtly more than the last. I felt a calming sensation as I stretched, lifting the balls of my feet up off the floor and rocking back onto them. I felt the muscles in my calves flex as I let go of the tension it took to raise my legs.

The tension in my mind reluctantly followed. I had perfected this technique at the bar on… oh about day 12 of Merlotte's mayhem. It didn't last long enough to suit me… it was a constant struggle to keep the walls I built during my tension free state up.

I began building up the walls in my mind, seemingly brick by brick or riveted steel plate by steel plate. Sometimes I could tell how strong the wall I was building would be when I was building it… and then there were days where I ran back into Sam's office only to return again 30 minutes later to find out my walls were simply made of straw or sticks and the residents of Bon Temps' minds had all but huffed and puffed them away.

I smiled half-heartedly when I was interrupted…

_Is it too late in the day to rent a steam cleaner for the rugs? Maybe I should see if Sookie wants to do something… wonder if Sookie would like to go to a movie today, or maybe dancing tonight. Maybe she would rather be alone? Maybe I should make myself scarce and stay with Tray again tonight? But I will definitely be working at Merlotte's tomorrow whether Sooks thinks she needs me there or not. I may not be the best waitress but I must be doing something right, the tips are pretty good_, Amelia broadcasted.

Perfect timing for Amelia to sneak back in. I chuckled at the notion… there was nothing sneaky about Amelia's thoughts, they were bombarding, animated, and gracelessly loud.

I heard something that sounded a bit like evil laughter coming from the other room…

_The tips have most certainly been good when I've worn my Merlotte's outfit in the bedroom with Tray…_ Amelia continued wordlessly

_Oh-kay!_ I thought, rounding the corner back through the kitchen onto the back porch, _I've heard enough, time to go wrangle up that girl and see what she wants to do today… and please let it not remind her of something sexual relating to Tray._

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We ended up doing both, fighting over the movie choice… though in the end Amelia let me pick. I could tell Amelia enjoyed the movie even though she shrugged when it was over and said it was a bit too tame for her tastes.

I was happy that I had persisted and won. I knew I wouldn't have been happy seeing whatever it was Amelia was suggesting, something with too much action and very little plotline is all I remembered. It had an actor Amelia thought was good looking, but he was tall, well built, and bald and I really didn't want to spend two hours staring at a Quinn look-a-like.

It still pained my heart too much to think of him. At one time, I had wanted desperately for things to work out, and I wasn't sure if I had done the right thing - the verdict was still out. I wondered if I would always be stuck with a hung jury.

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The dancing was significantly more fun. Amelia suggested we call Claudine to cheer me up. Well, first she suggested I call Eric to "cheer me up" but I scowled at the mention of his name. Claudine was more than happy to join; she said Niall told her about his plan to visit Bon Temps on Friday.

I smiled weakly and gave her a look that said 'I'm not ready to talk about it yet.'

Claudine pressed a long delicate index finger firmly against the thumb on the same hand and dragged them across her lips, wordlessly indicating it was the last she would speak of it that night. I grinned, took Claudine in one hand, Amelia in the other, and led them out to the dance floor.

I didn't know where my energy had come from, I didn't have much to drink… but I felt giddy. I twirled, looped, twisted, and laughed so hard I thought I might cry. I was sure my dancing wasn't up to its usual standard, but I really didn't care.

I was almost positive I heard (literally or mentally I wasn't sure) way too much information about Amelia's bedroom habits from her that night.

Amelia asked Claudine boldly if angels had sex, knowing full well that's what Claudine was aspiring toward. Claudine laughed, looked pointedly at Amelia and said, "Well, I am having sex…" and grinned wickedly. I wondered if she would have to take any steps backward for that comment or the resulting conversation.


	5. Girl Talk

**A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris**

**I'm writing this chapter from Sookie's point of view to mix things up, please let me know if you like it or if you prefer the omni-present narrator version I had going before. **

**Oh, having read the short stories 'Fairy Dust' and 'Gift Wrap' will come in handy when reading this chapter. If you have any questions about these stories feel free to ask. **

**Thanks again for the reviews! Sharing this story makes writing it so much more fun.**

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Now, at the insistence of Amelia, we will hear from Claudine ;)

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Amelia's face broke out into an impish grin as she took in what Claudine said. Her eyes searched the room for an empty table far away from any speakers. Of course I knew what she was doing and I made no effort to stop her. While I wasn't nearly as interested as Amelia was, my feet were throbbing slightly and I feared weariness would soon overtake my body.

With determination, Amelia set off toward a table in the far left corner of the club. I could see four people vacating the table; Amelia barely left them time to remove their jackets from the back of the chairs before she claimed it by perching slightly on the edge. Her smile was all telling and I could sense haste in their departure.

I reached out tentatively for Claudine's hand, looked up at her face, and saw she was still smiling. I noted that she looked was significantly less mischievous now, she looked wistful as if she was remembering something fondly. I wasn't sure… Claudine's mind was a blank book to me, and I was glad for that, although I'm sure I would be hearing about the source of both faces, mischievous and wistful, in a few moments if I knew Amelia, _and I did_.

Claudine smiled back at me gleefully when she realized I had been looking at her inquisitively. Grasping my offered hand, she winked at me and led me towards Amelia. As we worked out way through the crowd to the table, Claudine graciously turned down several offers to dance. _Well, more than several, more like twelve. _A few… yes just a few as in 3, had approached me as well. I wondered how much of it was to do with my diluted fairy blood. I assumed most of the people we were surrounded by were human as I got a vague buzz of brain activity from nearly everyone in the building. I remembered Niall saying that humans could easily become enthralled with descendents of fae bloodline. I mentally scratched out the idea of ever having a relationship with a fellow human. _If I was even human enough to be considered human?_ I didn't know where exactly that left me… but I really couldn't stand the idea of not being positive about the source of attraction with a boyfriend… or husband. I shook this thought out of my mind, as I knew it was leading nowhere worthwhile.

Looking back at Claudine and the disappointed club-goers she left in her wake, I imagined what it would have been like when Claudine, Claude, and Claudia had gone out in the past, surely they would have caused quite a stir. I immediately felt saddened thinking of Claudia, the cousin I hadn't gotten to meet. I wondered if I could ask Claudine about her some time.

Amidst all of my thoughts, I had somehow managed to plop myself down into a seat. I looked up and saw Amelia and Claudine observing me intently. I noticed I was still clutching Claudine's hand rather urgently; I slowly let my hand slip away, resting it on my lap as I regained my composure. I felt my brow unfurrow and my lips curl up into a small smile, _I must have been frowning… _I thought because it took longer to get to my weak smile than usual.

I wondered why I was unable to control my body or my facial expressions. _It must be the exhaustion setting in._ I told myself. _This probably wasn't the best idea coming out tonight, but we did have a good time dancing_. I laughed out loud thinking of some of the dance moves I had pulled out that night. _Some poorly executed oldies… and some newly acquired ones… also likely to have been laughable… not because I'm a bad dancer, no… I consider dancing one of my top skills... It's because I've been a little overworked lately._

"Is everything all right Sooks?" I heard Amelia croon out slowly. I knew she was hoping it wasn't something serious because she was dying to hear what Claudine had to say.

"Yes" I replied hoping that was all that was required verbally. I relaxed back into my seat to further illustrate how fine I was. I felt my muscles thanking me for the sturdy chair I was sitting in. I smiled earnestly. My muscles had been straining to keep up with my natural rhythm and while I had expected them to put up more of a protest, they complied with my movements but lacked their usual vigor.

They continued to stare at me oddly. I met their stare, shrugged, and said, "I was thinking about some of my off dance moves tonight…" I laughed again a bit more awkwardly… I picked up from Amelia that my dance moves were impressive tonight, as usual. My pride was the obvious source of my next energy burst. _Stackhouse, you've still got it!_ "I've been so tired lately, I can't believe I managed to stay upright for so long, you know I've been falling asleep in weird places lately, I thought tonight would be the night I added dance club to the list!" I smiled genuinely and chuckled, glad that the club had not ended up on any such list.

Claudine looked slightly worried hearing this fact, but was contented by my lighthearted attitude. I saw the emotions streak across her face briefly and then watched as mischief crept back into them. Leaning forward into the table, she smiled at me… "So, what would you like to know first?" she teased.

I thought carefully, and the first things that came to me were, "What is his name?," "How did you meet him?," and "Describe him to us."

Amelia frowned slightly; those obviously would not have been her first three questions.

Claudine's eyes darted between us and she giggled. "Well, Sookie… his name is Callum, he is from Ireland. I go there often…" she paused, "on vacation" she added for Amelia's benefit but winked at me when she caught my eye. I'd have to ask her more about that bit later. "He has long dark brown hair that is streaked with strands that look like pure gold in the light and the most beautiful blue-green eyes I've ever seen."

The same wistful look I'd noticed earlier was displayed on her face. She continued, "He has a gorgeous accent, is impressively tall…" She winked again, but this time when she had caught both of our attention, "and is only 300 years old," she stated incredulously. It occurred to me I had never asked Claudine how old her and Claude were.

"Four hundred and fifty three" she said with a knowing smile. I knew for a fact, _or at least I thought I did,_ that Claudine wasn't telepathic, I must have given something away in my face. My face… which I was normally able to keep strict control over, I really had been slipping that night.

Amelia, who was barely able to keep her mouth shut during all of this, cheered loudly and ordered us a round. Amelia came out with question after question, each slightly more risqué than the former. I used my remaining strength to tune out her internal monologue so I didn't hear the next question swirling around while the last was still being answered. We joked and laughed. I felt my eyes tearing up. I didn't realize how much I had longed for relationships like these in my life. I was so thankful _most of the time _for Amelia in my life, and I knew I'd make a determined effort to spend more time with Claudine, _in non life-threatening situations_ I added optimistically. My romantic love life might be a source of chaos in my life, but I loved the family I was building for myself. I felt a slow warmth spread through me and I glanced happily between Amelia and Claudine. They were animated, making all sorts of movements with their hands and arms. I returned from being lost in thought when Amelia repeated, "and what about Eric?"

I stiffened in my chair and grimaced. "What about him?" I asked.

"Well, you know…" Claudine started.

"Weren't you listening Sooks?" Amelia asked me as if nothing else in the world could be as important as the conversation they were having.

"No, Sorry… I must have drifted away there for a second."

Claudine patted my hand, which was resting on the table a few inches from my glass of gingerale.

I had switched to gingerale after having only a couple sips of that first shot… Amelia kept them coming. I let her drink them, I figured someone had to get us home and I cringed thinking about how much a cab would cost to get back to Bon Temps. I would still get one if I felt we needed it; I would not put my budget above our safety.

I flushed crimson red when I picked up on what they had been discussing. I took a sip of my drink and choked out, "He's certainly adequate…"

"Adequate? Sookie, that hardly tells us anything!" Amelia groaned. She returned to her animated gestures and I quickly got the notion that they had been signifying length and… other things with their hands.

I followed suit, I was embarrassed, but wanted to join in on the fun. I watched as their eyes widened when I continued to increase the distance between my flattened palms and again when I used both hands to signify… another aspect. I blushed thoroughly.

When I stopped, Amelia slapped her hand against her thigh and looked at me incredulously. "Lucky," was all she said. I smiled in remembrance. It was the first time in quite a few days that I felt lucky. _It's too bad it wasn't really Eric I was with when I had retrieved that information. My Eric was a completely different being and as much as I wanted to hold on to him forever, I knew I couldn't._

I think Amelia noticed my quick change in attitude and prompted, "Bill?"

I smiled and just shook my head slightly. I tried not to let on that it really wasn't fair to compare anyone to Eric. Just let her think I don't want to answer because I've realized my southern belle upbringing.

Amelia wasn't having any of that, she countered, "Quinn?"

I flushed again, took another sip of my gingerale… smiled at her and said, "almost…" and then to her amusement added, "but more importantly he was _very_ warm."

Amelia and Claudine cackled at my willingness to supply them with details. Amelia looked like she was on the verge of pushing her luck for more information. I silently put up my hand in an attempt to stop her and then used the other to point back toward Claudine. She picked up on the idea, and launched back into her tirade of questions. Claudine didn't seem to tire of them; she was obviously smitten with Callum and enjoyed talking about him. I listened carefully when they discussed sexual positions, _you never know when that knowledge will come in handy… and I was with two seriously experienced women _and took note when they discussed role playing. Claudine described a fondness for having sex outdoors in beautiful costumes reenacting fairy tales with her prince… it sounded lovely to me, I envied her ability to travel places so quickly.

I pictured Eric on a Viking ship returning home from a long journey missing me desperately… ravishing me, I thought briefly of Bill as Rhett, and imagined a jungle expedition with Quinn. I sighed, I felt a bit like Goldilocks. All these options and none just quite right, too cold, too hot, too not there, too focused on himself… too deceitful... Was I being picky? Before I allowed myself to get _too_ upset I focused back on the discussion.

Amelia talked about using spells during sex, briefly describing her adventure with Bob… Amelia's sexual escapades were a bit wilier. Although once Claudine heard Amelia describe some of her fantasies (and realities!) she opened up a bit and let a few spicy details about her new relationship sneak out. Apparently Callum enjoyed playing _literally_ with fire. I must have looked alarmed when she first said it out loud because Amelia giggled, saying she had experienced something similar, however it was only magically simulated. Claudine explained to me that fae do not burn in response to fire, also including that they couldn't drown or suffocate. She winked at me. I did not need to know why she included those last two things... but the way she winked at me, I thought there was probably a reason she confided in me. She further clarified that it was never an act of violence but gentle stimulation, similar to couples that use ice in the bedroom. I had a feeling she was downplaying the intensity of it but I decided to take her word for it. Although I couldn't help but feel slightly surprised that they were able to play with fire but not lemons and limes.

I leaned back in my seat and tuned them out… enjoying the comfort and peace the chair and the quiet corner of the bar provided. I may have softened slightly towards one of my suitors in reaction to these new stimuli and drifted back into one of my newfound fantasies…

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Claudine insisted on covering our cab fare home, and I thanked her profusely. She thanked me for an amazingly fun evening, which she hoped we would get the chance to repeat soon. She let us know that my car would be at my place in the morning; she would make sure of it. I fell asleep on Amelia on the way home, waking up only when she nudged me to let me know we had arrived. I opened my eyes slightly and I swear I saw Bill on his cell phone standing out passed one of the large trees on my property. I mumbled, "Bill…" and Amelia giggled softly

"So you are ready to talk about Bill now, are you?" She joked

I looked up at her and then back to the spot by the tree, I didn't see anyone. I shrugged ever so slightly and let her lead me up the stairs into the house and into my bed. I thought I said something about the alarm, but she just kissed my forehead, told me she had everything taken care of, and tucked me in. I could smell the alcohol still thick on her breath, and it made me appreciate her gesture even more. It was thoughtful of her to take care of me. I heard her trip and swear as she turned out the light and headed for the stairs. The last thing I remembered doing before I fell asleep was giggle.

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When I woke up the next morning the sun was pouring in through my curtains. I rolled to the left side of the bed to look at my alarm clock to find it unplugged. I ran out into the kitchen to see Amelia standing there in a Merlotte's uniform grabbing things wildly from the cupboard.

"Amelia, can I ask what you are doing?"

She looked startled. "You don't know?" She said eyeing me up and down.

"Nope." I confirmed. I yawned and ran a hand absently through my tangled hair. I was too tired to try to read her thoughts and for some reason she wasn't broadcasting and I wasn't about to ask her to start. I hoped she would just tell me what she was up to the old fashioned way.

"Well, that's something!" She said, still not answering my original question. She seemed to pick up on my interest again in a second and continued, "Well, we ran out of pickles and mayo at the bar, I know that we've got some extra jars of each here and I figured I'd just nab them. It's real busy over there and I thought it would be faster since I knew where they were here."

What she did for me sunk in and I was so thankful to her. "Amelia Broadway, you took my lunch shift?"

She hesitated, she didn't know if I was going to hug her or hit her. Her thoughts were starting to make themselves known. I reached out to hug her and she gladly accepted. When we pulled apart, I had tears streaming down my face. She looked at me with concern and I hugged her again. "I love you Amelia Broadway!"

She wondered if I was still a little hung over from last night, I don't think she realized that she had been the one doing the majority of the drinking… "Aww, Sooks, you know I love you too," she said. "But I had better get back to Merlotte's with these things or I'm not sure how much of me there will be left to love. You know they will tear me apart for all of the non-mayo pickleless burgers that are being consumed in my absence." She teased.

I gave her one last hug and let her know I was heading off to the shower and I would be at Merlotte's as soon as possible. She told me not to worry and to take my time; there really was no need for me down at the bar until the evening.

I questioned how she was able to take care of everything; we had been to the _same bar_ last night, right?

She pointed to the tea bag jar. "What do you think I keep in there?"

"Tea?" I questioned expectantly.

"Of course tea, Sooks, but uhm… tea with different purposes, some for relaxation, some for energy, and some custom blended to suit hang-overs."

I didn't know. I only remember reaching in their once and pulling out something with Lipton on it. Surely that wasn't some odd feeling inducing concoction… I strained to remember when this incident actually happened. Who was it that I had offered tea? Well, no one had come back to me complaining.

_Maybe I had been wrong to limit myself to just sweet tea, some of those teas sounded down right tempting when you considered their effect._

Amelia chuckled at me, scooped up the bag of jars in her arms and rushed out the door.

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**A/N thank you so much for reading! Next chapter will hopefully be up on Friday as tomorrow is the Sydney Easter Show so no time for writing! **


	6. An Unhappy Customer

**A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris. **

I didn't hear any negative comments about writing in the first person so I've kept it up. lol, didn't really hear any positive ones either… but I'm still happy to keep writing.

I skipped a few days in this chapter, I'm really trying to pick up a bit of speed and get to where I want to be. It's difficult, and I have a ton of respect for authors! Short of throwing a time-machine behind Merlotte's, I've really felt quite lost with what to do. ;) but I've brought it up to the night before the talk with Niall, so hopefully that will make its way into the next chapter (although I thought that about Chaps 5 and 6!) We'll have to see how much trouble a certain vampire is going to cause…

I'm waiting for Ann to update Dead Ahead, so if there's a new chapter of that out tomorrow *fingers crossed!* I may be too busy reading to update tomorrow. ;) If you're reading that story you know what I mean! and If you aren't reading that story, you really need to go check it out!

Thanks again to those leaving reviews! It's so kind of you, they are so encouraging! :)

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After Amelia left, I shuffled into my bedroom. I crawled back into bed and pulled the blankets soothingly up under my chin. I tucked my knees against each other turning them to one side and let my tense shoulders sink into my pillow. I closed my eyes tightly and prayed for a deep sleep to overcome me. I wished for the deep restful sleep vampires succumbed to in the daytime. _I had better not let anyone hear me say that out loud,_ I thought to myself. I certainly had no interest in being a vampire. I just simply wished it were easier to fall asleep as a human without the aid of prescription medicine.

My sleep the night before had been haunting and I wasn't sure how much sleep I had actually gotten. I dreamt about two men I was sure I didn't know. Their images were foggy in my mind at first, but as I concentrated on them, they became clear. They were both devastatingly tall, dark, and handsome. I felt myself warming at the thought of them. Alternatively, sparkling emerald green eyes and subtle, but just as beautiful, golden flecked brown flashed through my mind. I could feel them searching me, scanning my body, reaching into my heart, and connecting with my soul. I eased the blankets off of me as I felt my skin become hot and itchy with the heat. I wondered if the part of me ached for my prince charming and happily ever after had imagined them. If this was the case, why did I feel like _they_ needed _my_ help? I could feel their fear and pain as real as if it were my own. I felt turmoil brewing within me from not being able to do anything.

_And, on top of it all, why was I dreaming of two of them? Surely the past couple of years have shown me that one man is all you need, too many confuses things! _I longed for a more simple existence… one that included true love and less pain –physical _and_ emotional.

I came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to be getting any more sleep that morning. I thought briefly about what Amelia had said about the tea in the jar. It was tempting to go explore and see what I could find, but it was probably better not to go poking around when I didn't know which was which and how long it would have put me to sleep even if I did.

I reluctantly swung my legs over the side of the bed and steadied myself as I got up. My heart felt heavy and my mind still incredibly uneasy. I felt my stomach lurch as I stood up. I made my way slowly into the bathroom, leaning against the door for a moment to slow my pounding heart. I threw a towel over the shower curtain and tossed my clothes in the laundry basket in the corner. I reached into one of the drawers for my hair doodad box. I pulled out an elastic and secured my hair in a bun on top of my head; it didn't need to be washed today. I placed one hand under the tub faucet and used the other to turn the hot and cold knobs until I had the exact temperature I wanted. _If only life were that easy_ I thought to myself as I adjusted the valve from tub to shower and stepped in.

Tension rolled off of me as the hot water hit my shoulders, steam filled my lungs, and my toes curled happily as the warm water fell and swirled toward the drain. Breathing in the steamy air, I relaxed, and closed my eyes… the images assaulted me once again. I shrieked and grabbed out for something, anything. In the next moment I found myself crouched in the shower desperately clutching the shower curtain. The water mercilessly poured down on me drenching my hair, cascading down my face, flooding my eyes and my mouth. I sputtered wildly as I stood and wiped my eyes on my towel. With my remaining control, I held my eyes open as wide as possible, blinking only when necessary. I continued my shower in a very regimented way, not pausing for anything.

I dried off and dressed in the same manner and began to pace in my bedroom. I didn't know what to do next. Amelia said not to worry about getting to Merlotte's until the evening, but I really had nothing to do at home. Amelia had cleaned the house so thoroughly that the surfaces of things came near to blinding you when the sunlight hit them.

I tried reading a book, watching TV, organizing my closet… all unsuccessful. I even thumbed through Gran's recipe book thinking I'd make something special for Amelia and I to indulge in that evening. I flipped pages absentmindedly… nothing jumped out at me and I knew from experience that these were all delicious treats. I just couldn't make any decisions. I set the book down on the kitchen table and huffed slightly. I hated being indecisive.

Just days earlier, I was practically begging for time to do nothing and now my mind felt so bogged down with worry… I was worried about my dreams, what my conversation tomorrow with my great-grandfather would include, and when I would hear from Eric… or any other supes (besides Sam) for that matter. Things had been _too_ quiet lately... it left me feeling uneasy. I felt goosebumps swell on my arms as I shivered slightly. I brushed my left hand across the upright hair on my other arm in an attempt to sweep away the undeniable feeling that something wasn't right.

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I caved and went into Merlotte's early. Amelia looked at me defiantly, I knew she was still feeling guilty and wanted to show me how much she cared by doing this for me. I motioned toward the office so I could tell her it wasn't that I didn't want to let her…

I tried to sum it up as quickly as I could so Terry didn't get antsy being alone out front. Thankfully she understood, and while she looked puzzled when I told her about my dreams she told me she would look into it. She winked at me when I told her about the two attractive men and said she wouldn't mind having dreams like that. We didn't have time for me to get into how helpless the dreams made me feel. I hoped to avoid that part until someone could confirm I wasn't crazy and that there was a reason behind them. I will finally agree with the entire town of BonTemps if these are really just part of my imagination, I really will be _Crazy Sookie_.

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The next few days went by quickly. I had Amelia to thank for that, it wasn't just her help around the bar that made time pass quickly, but rather her humour. I simply had to glance at her when I started to feel sluggish and she would pull some ridiculous face or make mention of our time out with Claudine and I would grin cheerfully and carry on with what had to be done. We had set a date to meet up with Claudine in three weeks time and I was really looking forward to it. I was also hesitantly looking forward to seeing Niall on Friday afternoon.

With Amelia's assistance, I was able to employ two part time waitresses and start the learning process. Merlotte's lost more than a few beer mugs and plates in the process, but the girls were both pleasant and gracious and I knew Sam wouldn't mind. I was also able to order pickles, mayo, and ketchup for good measure – we were running low, and if Amelia thought the demand for pickles was high, wow she really wasn't ready to see the bar running without ketchup.

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On Thursday morning, I peeked into Amelia's room at nine. Her eyes flickered as she registered my entrance. I hushed her quietly and told her to sleep in. It wouldn't be necessary for Amelia to accompany me today; Sam had sent me a text message late Wednesday night to let me know he was back. I sent him a message back saying that I would stop by Merlotte's an hour before we open to catch him up to speed… go through the stack of invoices, tell him what I had ordered and from who, let him know about the near ketchup crisis…

I forgot where I was and chuckled audibly. Amelia's eyes opened reluctantly, her hand was absently rubbing at them; she grinned when she caught me laughing.

"Are you sure Sooks?" She croaked out, "I really don't mind coming along"

"I'm sure Amelia, but thank you. Sam's back!" I said quietly but enthusiastically.

I walked out of the room, closing the door slowly behind me. I heard a soft scuffle of sheets and a plop following my exit which I assumed was Amelia readjusting herself in bed and going back to sleep.

I walked slowly down the stairs making my way to my bathroom to get ready for the day.

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*

Sam eyed me up and down with a hint of irritation as I walked into the bar, closing and locking the door behind me. I swallowed hard and winced slightly wondering what the look was for. I attempted to smile at him as my shoulders curled up into a shrug. The simple action spoke volumes between us. His eyes instantly cleared of any frustration and he walked toward me with his arms out expectantly. I took two steps forward and found myself breathing him in, nestling my head against his chest. As he enveloped me in a warm hug, he whispered "Aww, cher… I'm sorry I left you here. I won't do it again." He nuzzled his cheek against my hair.

I could feel my defensive side starting to twitch within me. _Who did he think he was? I am just fine on my own!_

I tried my hardest to ignore it and just enjoy the moment. I felt safe and comforted. He leaned back slowly, holding me at arms length, his warm palms loosely gripping my shoulders.

"So tell me, besides the obvious lack of sleep…" he started.

I cringed as soon that came up although I knew it was unavoidable. And as quickly as I attempted to imagine the conversation he must have had with Eric, I stopped myself, I really didn't want to know.

"how was running the bar?"

He was extremely pleased with all of the things I listed in the 'good' category: hiring two competent waitresses, Amelia helping out, placing orders for necessities, keeping up the accounting, and putting the nightly profits into the safe. At some point in our conversation we had walked into the office. He quickly skimmed over the accounts and orders books and my pride soared as I could tell he was clearly impressed with my workmanship. As I thought, he wasn't upset about any broken mugs, plates, or glasses. He was upset that I didn't ask for more help before I did, but didn't dwell on it long. I was happy for that. He asked me if I'd be interested in placing orders for him in the future. He said he had called a few of his suppliers earlier in the day and they kept asking for the sweet southern girl who had called them previously.

"You must have made an impression on them cher" he said sweetly while wagging a finger at me lightheartedly.

I laughed, and he continued in earnest, "Seriously, Sookie, it's one of my least favorite things to do and you seem to be good at it… and it would come with a pay rise, so if you would like to, please let me know." He emphasized please.

I laughed again and told him I would think about it. I had enjoyed walking around the storage room counting containers and assessing the needs of the bar. I didn't mind making the phone calls and faxing order forms. I would probably say yes, but I knew, like with all things, it's better to give myself some time to consider it.

Sam fished out a ridiculously generous paycheck from his coat pocket. I gaped at it. I felt like I didn't deserve it, but he insisted I did. He said that without me the bar would have been closed all that time and he wouldn't have made any profit so it was only fair that I get a large chunk of said profit. I searched his mind for any sense of Eric induced coercion. Finding only happiness and gratitude, I meekly accepted the check. Giving Sam a quick peck on the cheek, I tucked the check into my pocket and went to unlock the front door and open for the lunch service.

Amelia popped in for lunch. She said she was just there to eat, but I knew she was checking out the situation to make sure I had enough help. With Sam back things definitely ran smoother. It was his place and it just wasn't Merlotte's when he wasn't there. It was a quiet day and Amelia hung around until mid afternoon. She managed to trick me into letting her do small tasks such as refilling saltshakers and cutting up citrus for the bar. She did it all under the guise of wanting to stay around to chat. I didn't say anything because I was happy for her company.

I stayed for the dinner shift as well even though Sam urged me to go. The two new waitresses were scheduled for that night and although I believed they were capable, I wanted to be there in case they needed me. Sam insisted that he could show them anything they needed to know but I explained that they didn't know him and wouldn't feel comfortable asking him things yet. He sighed and ran his hands forcefully through his hair. He stopped abruptly when I smiled at him. He jammed his hands in his jean pockets and nodded slightly. My smile widened and I promised him I'd take it easy.

I was really proud of how well Jenna and Mindy (the new waitresses) did that night. Jenna didn't seem to remember the table numbers at first and looked to me for guidance, but as the evening continued, she looked to me less and less for confirmation.

I noticed there was a customer wasn't being very kind to Mindy. I assumed she had taken an order down wrong. I tried to stay out of it, I knew this was part of the job and as soon as you got used to it the easier it became. But when I saw her bottom lip droop and her eyes well up, I walked over to assess the situation. The man was out of line with his requests and I tried to smooth things over calmly.

In the sweetest voice I could muster I said "Sir, It is our policy not to serve meat rare… if you are unhappy and truly believe this is not medium rare, I can remove this item from your bill. Mindy would be happy to bring back a menu to see if there is anything else you would like to order." He still looked angry as hell." I stopped myself from rolling my eyes and continued, "There really isn't anything else we can do for you."

He launched back into his attack except this time, unfortunately for him, the expletives and "stupid woman" comments were directed toward me… and an extremely livid vampire was close enough to hear them.


	7. An Even Unhappier Vampire

**A/N** Back-story and characters property of Charlaine Harris

Thanks so much for your reviews! I love reading them in the morning, they get my mind rolling with ideas and before I know it there is a new chapter to upload. It's so much fun!

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**Sookie**

I thought carefully about what my next comment would be… it was difficult to form a single thought with him shouting at me, out loud _and_ mentally. I knew I had to stop him in his tracks because this conversation had clearly gotten out of control... (for 'conversation' read 'attack') the other customers were gawking. I could sense Sam becoming restless behind the bar. I was thankful he was restraining himself, letting me handle this situation, but I knew if it carried on much longer he would interfere, it was his bar.

I felt _anger_ welling up inside me; I didn't know where it was coming from. I had always been good at handling situations like this, but I could feel myself becoming irrational.

I wanted to remain calm and collected, but I seriously wanted to take the plate off the table and smash him upside the head with it. I imagined myself smooshing the barbeque-slathered steak into his face and telling him to get lost. I tried to shake the childish mentality out of me. I finally knew what I was going to say, it wasn't nice but at least it wasn't violent.

Before I could form the words on the tip of my tongue… a massive blur swept through the room.

I steadied myself, adjusting to the new balance in the room. I snuck a quick look at the table and saw his plate upturned rocking across the table with momentum, clattering off, and falling to the floor.

I noticed that the plate was empty as I watched it make contact with and break on the floor. The sound resonated through the hushed silence of the bar. My eyes searched the scene rapidly and I found myself staring at the now wordless man, covered in barbeque sauce, mashed potatoes, and corn kernels. The steak was lying limp in his lap.

I giggled internally. He certainly deserved that. I tried to compose myself, gripping my apron clumsily, moving my pen and order pad around in the pockets trying not to let on that I thought he had it coming. He was momentarily stunned; his mouth pursed tightly, his eyes scouring the room. An instant later, I saw recognition and fear cross his face.

I felt a cool arm slip around my waist drawing me closer. I craned my neck and located a smug looking Eric holding me tightly to him. I watched Eric smile at the man daring him to say anything further to me. It was astounding how much he could convey without saying anything at all. Of course, I would have been more impressed if he had done it without the 'actions speak louder than words' display prior. However, considering it was Eric, I knew the action was reasonably tame and more than likely for my benefit.

I watched as the man began hastily shucking bills out of his wallet only stopping when it was truly empty and Eric nodded in his direction. He was shuffling around in the booth trying to figure out the best exit strategy; it was obvious he wanted to get the hell out of there.

Eric and I were a huddled mass at the edge of the man's seat. Well maybe Eric was more of the 'mass' but I was certainly a force to be reckoned with in my own right. It seemed the only course of action would be for the man to jump over the table and scoot out the other side of the booth. Even after everything he said to me, I did not want to witness this humiliation.

I looked up at Eric with slight disappointment in my eyes, it was all I could muster to discourage him. I couldn't reward his behavior by smiling at him as much as I felt it bubbling up inside me… I think he could see through my feigned disappointment.

I watched his crystal blue eyes and found them filled with mischief.

He met my gaze with a humorous look that implied "What? Did I do something bad?" He chuckled jovially and I felt it pulsate through my entire body.

He moved us both (still joined) out of the way effortlessly and the man exited the booth quickly and ran out of Merlotte's knowing better than to say anything to anyone. I noticed Mindy's mouth was hanging open and I reached out to touch her hand to bring her back to reality. Her eyes were full of wonder and I really wanted to shake the look off her face. We had been handling that situation just fine without Eric, and now she wouldn't have learned anything productive!

I attempted to pull myself out of Eric's grasp and he chuckled again. I instantly hated the feeling that overcame me as he did so; it was pure pleasure and I wanted desperately to reject it. Knowing full well he could hold me against him for eternity if he so desired, he laughed at my budding irritation and let me slip out.

He took a few long strides over to an empty table; set himself down in the seat as if it were his throne and he owned the place. I stole a glance back toward Sam, who actually did own the place, and found nothing telling in his face. He just accepted that Eric was there and didn't appear to have anything to say about the subject. I was annoyed that people were starting to assume that with me came Eric. We were not a package deal, I wasn't sure if I wanted that, and besides… he hadn't asked me.

I sighed and noticed Eric looking toward me expectantly. Apparently he didn't realize I wasn't waiting tables tonight. I instantly felt better. I had one over him. I was under no obligation to converse with him or offer him a beverage. I walked back to the bar quite satisfied with myself and perched myself back on the stool I had been sitting on before the incident. I turned my back to him but listened to his every word. He ordered True Blood – O positivefrom Mindy.

_How cute of him, he remembered,_ I thought sarcastically.

I returned to my 'on again off again' conversation with Sam who was tending the bar. I was as engrossed as possible in our conversation, furiously ignoring Eric's presence. When Sam was busy talking to a waitress about drink orders, I gave my gin and tonic all of my attention. I swirled the ice around in the glass, I pushed the little red straw from one side to another, I sipped slowly… anything to avoid the temptation to turn around and look into Eric's willing blue eyes.

I continued to listen carefully in Eric's direction; I searched for flirtation in his voice during his exchanges with Mindy. Luckily for him there was none. Not that I could have done anything if there was, but it was reassuring to notice that there wasn't. _Why did I care!?_ _I didn't own Eric Northman, and as far as I knew I didn't have any plans to. _

I made wide gestures with my hands while discussing things with Sam and laughed louder than necessary at things that probably weren't funny. Sam didn't say anything but looked at me oddly like I'd lost it or something. _Maybe I had._ More than once he urged me to go see why Eric was here. I stubbornly stayed put, clutching my glass like a lifeline, and asked him why _he_ didn't go find out what Eric wanted. I never expected him to actually do it.

Their exchange was brief and I was proud of myself for not turning around to witness it. I strained to hear what they were saying but they were both soft-spoken, trying not to draw attention to themselves. Although I was certain the 6'4" Viking vampire had gained everyone's attention as soon as he waltzed into Merlotte's and would be holding it until he waltzed his adorable behind back out of there. _Eek! What am I doing thinking about his backside? _I smiled to myself remembering… _really, how could I not?_

I started to shift on the stool, turning in their direction until I could tell he knew I was interested. I felt pride and lust rolling off of him careening toward me. I knew if I turned at that exact second I would be encounter a serious smirk on Eric's face. I would not give him that satisfaction.

_No_, I thought. _If he came here to talk to me, he can make the effort_.

I was too busy stewing in my own thoughts that I didn't hear his approach. I felt his cool palm against the back of my arm just above my elbow. It sent sparks of delight running through me. I was instantly on fire. I didn't dare look at him right now; he would see the obvious flush in my face and get the wrong (_or right?_) idea. _Why did my body betray me so much in his company? _

"Sookie?" he began. He sounded confident yet vaguely hesitant.

"Yes, Eric?" I quipped back. I was still turned facing the back wall of the bar, wiggling slightly on the stool. I stared at the labels on the bottles of alcohol searching for something to take my mind off of my current predicament.

"Would you mind if I took you home?" He questioned me but looked toward Sam. Sam nodded his head confirming that I wasn't actually working a shift that night. I glowered at Sam for giving away that information. _Why not just let Eric think I was taking an unusually long break… drinking in the middle of my shift._

I devised about a hundred different ways to say 'no, thank you' and was just as surprised as he was when what squeaked out of my mouth was "Sure" _Sure? I just told him he could take me home? _My mind was reeling. _I hope he meant my home here in Bon Temps! I hadn't considered any other possibilities. First my body, now my mind, what power does Eric hold over me? I doubted it was anything malevolent, but I seriously questioned my motives for saying Sure!_

He stepped back thoughtfully letting me hop down from the stool. I walked from the bar on my own nodding my goodbyes to people as I left. He made no attempt to reach out to hold or touch me as we left. I was glad, but there was also a tiny part of me that longed for his touch. I pushed that feeling as far back inside me as I could.

When we reached my car, I fit the key in the lock and turned to let him know I was more than capable of getting home on my own.

I felt his chilly lips warming against mine, but seemingly it was me that felt like ice melting. With trepidation, I raised my arms to wrap around his neck. His arms, which were stretched out around me locking me in his sights, his palms pressed against the side of the car. I momentarily let myself fall under his spell and deepen the kiss, lips parting at his subtle request.

Eric slowly broke the kiss; his hands deftly slipped down the side of the car and came to rest on my hips. I looked at my arms, which were still around his neck, I immediately felt like we were too close. With significantly less grace than he displayed when he moved his arms, I let mine awkwardly fall away from him. My arms knocked into his and I felt jolted by their strong presence on my hips. As if he could sense my inner panic, he lifted his hands carefully off of my hips, glided back about a foot and caught my swinging arms with his hands. He turned my palms against his and interlaced our fingers.

While I made no attempt to uncouple our hands, I felt reality creeping back in.

"Eric, why are you here?" I whispered. I wasn't sure why my volume was so low. Perhaps it was because my heart was pounding so loudly it took up most of my energy.

Eric followed suit, drawing closer to me once again, whispering in my ear "Bill let me know you weren't home this evening, and you weren't scheduled to work. Instead of entrusting that pathetic excuse for a vampire with your care, I thought I would come investigate myself…" He paused, his forced breathing became rhythmic and seductive against my ear… _he knew what this did to me_, before continuing, "Does my presence not pleasure you my lover?"

"It … does" I choked out, "but…"

"While I'm pleased that you acknowledge your pleasure…"

I could see the satisfied grin on his face. I looked down at my feet, unsure of what I felt for him in that moment. I was torn between kissing him acceptingly and hitting him relentlessly until it disappeared. I was content… no, it was more than being content… part of me was ecstatic when he was around, but I hadn't exactly grown to like the odd sensation.

Sensing my internal monologue, he waited before he continued speaking. I could sense some anxiety coming from him and it amused me. _What was he waiting for?_ He appeared to be waiting for me to make some serious decision. His brow furrowed, I could tell he was becoming impatient. Thoughts were racing through my head and my heart was thumping strongly threatening to break out of my chest. I looked up at Eric, exasperation clear on my face. I didn't know what he wanted me to say. More importantly, I didn't know what _I_ wanted me to say.

He lifted my chin up with his curled index finger and directed my eyes toward his.

He looked disappointed as he solemnly said, "I see that you have not yet grown to like it." He released me. "But you will."

He seemed so confident... it had me doubting myself. I was lost in thought for a moment and then muttered softly, "I wouldn't hold your breath Eric." Of course he heard what I said, I had planned to say it with more confidence than it came out, but it was what it was and I was glad I had put it out there. He didn't speak for what seemed like forever. We just stared at each other, waiting for… well I wasn't sure what we were waiting for. Naturally, vampires didn't need to breathe… and I wondered if he was waiting for me to explain the idiom. I watched his face, it wasn't giving anything away.

Just as I opened my mouth to explain, he flashed me a brilliant smile and said, "I do have forever you know."

"I know," I said audibly adding some edge to my voice.

"I don't…" was the next thought I let slip softly… sadly from my lips. It was so quiet, I wasn't sure Eric could hear me.

He didn't move, his face didn't alter, he didn't show any sign that he had heard me and I was glad. I gave him my best defiant look.

"So you wanted to take me home?" I questioned.

"Yes, I want to make sure you get home safely." He seemed to stumble through his statement. I paid it no attention; I assumed I had caught him off guard with the sudden change in conversation.

"Well… Niall is coming over for lunch tomorrow and I've got some grocery shopping to do before I go home. Do you think we can continue your 'investigation' over at the Piggly Wiggly?" I said mockingly, "or do you need to return to Shreveport? I can call you when I get home."

He looked at me thoughtfully. He leaned over, reached out, and twirled a piece of my hair between his thumb and index finger tenderly.

"I'll go with you," He said distractedly.

"Okay, then…" I said slowly inching my hand closer to the keys that had been in the lock this entire time.

He eased back, letting the twisted tendril of hair drop against my shoulder. "You don't need much?" He asked optimistically.

_Oh great_ I thought. _Another man with an aversion to food._ "No, not really, just a few things…" I said with a bit of coolness in my voice.

He smiled, "Good. Then we can take my car."

I felt a bit sheepish when I realized the true intention of his question. Can't fit too much in a Corvette I imagined. I smiled back at him. He mistakenly took this as compliance, pulling my keys firmly out of the lock and placing them in my hands. Since I was feeling a bit guilty for assuming he would be like Bill with regard to human food, I let him lead the way to his car. We hopped inside and set off to one of the places I never thought I'd go with a vampire – a grocery store. I giggled at the prospect and Eric flashed me a wicked grin. I knew it would take significantly less time to get to the Piggly Wiggly than usual. I double-checked my seatbelt.

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I would later find out that he did hear me... and that in response, he was unmistakably thinking '_We'll see'_

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**A/N** I can't tell you when later is, but it is part of this story, and of course since it's _later_… it won't be soon ;)

And no, Eric and Sookie won't be playing house anytime soon but if there is interest, I'll probably write in the grocery shopping scene for some fluff before I head in a more ominous direction.

(I'm glad there are other stories I can read about this in because I do enjoy them together! And a huge part of me totally wants him to sweep her off to his beautiful house and love her forever)

Another chapter without Niall! I almost can't believe it… that Viking! I think he is trying to change my original plot…


	8. Lunch with Niall

Lucky? Chapter 813/04/2009 06:56:00

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thank you so much for the reviews! They mean so much to me, I've wanted to write for so long and I've never just stopped and made an effort so this is great practice.

are we going grocery shopping?

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**Sookie**

I hadn't decided on what I would make for lunch with Niall the next day. I wasn't sure what befit lunch with a fairy prince.

I knew he was capable of eating human food; he seemed to enjoy the salmon dish he ordered for us at Les Deux Poissons.

I had never cooked anything fancy with salmon before, I wondered if he expected me to prepare something elegant? After all, even his own grand daughter called him 'my lord.' I felt awkward for a moment, and then pushed the unease from my mind. Niall knew who I was and what I represented; if he agreed to have lunch with me he certainly knew I would not be serving any fae delicacies.

However, starting with the idea of seafood was not a bad one. I told Eric I would like to start in the seafood department; he nodded and took my arm as if to lead us there. I pulled back and looked up at him, "Eric, first I need to get a shopping cart." I said while wriggling my arm free from him.

He looked amused. _I'm glad my independence entertains him_…  
"hmph" I let out, and he smiled wider.

He stepped back graciously and allowed me access to the rows of shopping carts. While I did end up finagling one out of the mess of carts, I had a _few_ failed attempts. The car seat straps were all twisted around and made some of them quite difficult to move around.

I saw him look at his watch a few times during the process. I shot him a cool look, "Have somewhere you need to be?" I said.

"Nope, not tonight," He replied cheerfully "Pam has everything under control… I'm all yours." He lingered on _yours_ and gave me another stunning smile.

I scowled at him… still fighting with the carts.

"I was simply timing you…" He said, "I don't know much about shopping cart wrangling, but I think you might be setting a record." He chuckled.

_Well ha ha!_ I did my best to discourage my lips from smiling, but in that moment I had pulled a cart loose and I was proud of myself. A big smile broke out across my face.

"Time?" I called out jokingly.

He laughed and then his face turned serious as he lifted his wrist to look at his watch. "I'm sorry Sookie…" he said "but if it's any comfort, you were close."

I reached out and swatted his wrist back down to his side. I tried to focus on why we were there again, _ah yes, my lunch date tomorrow. _I looked at Eric and nudged him forward into the store with my eyes. He walked briskly toward the seafood department _I'm guessing he did this by smell, I was sure he wasn't familiar with my local Piggly Wiggly_ stopping a few feet from the counter to watch me place my order.

Somewhere along the line I had decided to make pecan coated fish, asparagus, buttermilk biscuits, and an apple cake.

I asked the man at the counter if the grouper or snapper was better; he suggested the snapper, so that's what I purchased. I had many of the other ingredients at home, but we went back to the produce department and I selected some golden delicious apples and began the process of walking up and down each aisle.

Eric had to decrease his stride significantly; I was ambling along taking my time concentrating on if we (Amelia, Octavia, and I) needed anything else…

I picked up a jar of peanut butter and studied it. _Were we nearly out? I tried to remember when I had last used it. I think I bought two jars last time, crunchy and smooth._ _Would I be disappointed if it was the crunchy that we were out of if I didn't buy some now? _I tried to remember that space was precious in Eric's car, but all of the sudden I felt a strong craving for peanut butter so I popped the jar into the cart.

It appeared Eric was having a different craving. His eyes darted hungrily between me and the jars of jam. I watched his eyes glaze over as he pondered the syrupy contents. I wondered what on earth he was thinking about; I saw signs of deviousness on his face.

I allowed myself to fall into the same trap, thinking things about jams and jellies that I never had before. I thought of all the places on Eric's body I would want to lick and kiss jam from… starting with his beautiful mouth. I stood speechless in the aisle imagining sticky apricot jam dripping from his mouth down his long neck to his hard broad chest… _mmm_. I was completely losing myself to the daydream. Perhaps I actually said 'mmm' out loud or maybe it was just the 'mmm' in my facial expression, but Eric broke me out of my daze soon after I thought it.

"I would like to see you have more of this lover" he said casually dumping four jars each of the strawberry and raspberry jams into the shopping cart. I added a jar of apricot to the cart and smiled at him.

The look I got back was pure yearning and I felt my palms grow slick against the cart handle. His eyes danced with delight, I knew he could hear my heartbeat rising. His nostrils flared, and I knew he was aware of my arousal. I quickened my pace; we needed to get out of that aisle.

The next aisle was full of cleaning supplies.

I got the feeling he didn't frequent grocery stores often because his casual attitude throughout the rest of the store suddenly turned inquisitive. He asked several questions about the use of these products. I didn't particularly need anything down that aisle – I think Amelia had shopped it clean one weekend after she moved here, but I tried to make a habit of traipsing up and down each aisle when I didn't have a list. I really hated it when I got home only to realize I'd forgotten something we needed.

I wondered at first if he was mocking humans with our excess of products and choices, but he listened intently when I answered his questions; he was simply curious. He roared with laughter when I explained to him that there were different cleaners for different surfaces – glass, tile, carpet, wood, etc. He didn't believe me. I couldn't imagine that he wouldn't need these products at his bar? or his home? Then I remembered that this was the man who didn't know how to use a dustpan and broom… I continued to answer his questions. We spent longer in that aisle than we really needed to, but I indulged him.

I found that I really liked seeing this curious side of him. I had always admired his cunning, clever side and knew it was his bold confidence that attracted me to him so fiercely, but this side of him felt different. It reminded me of when it had been just us, when he was free of his title and political vampire responsibilities.

We were nearing the registers when he asked about the pecans. I had plum forgot about them. I glanced at him wondering how he even knew I forgot something.

"You said you were making pecan coated fish yet I notice there are no pecans in the cart."

"I must have gotten distracted." I said looking at him with playful accusation in my eyes. "Pecans weren't popular when you were human, how do you even know what they are?" I continued. _I remember that pecans were cultivated in the 1500s by Native Americans, which was way after Eric's time. _

"I've known people who are quite fond of them." He stated happily.

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I knew I wasn't the first mortal Eric had been in contact with, but I suddenly wished I hadn't asked.

"Oh" was all I could spit out. I didn't want to be rude… _I_ had asked him.

He captured the hand, which had been hanging by my side; I was turned away from the cart looking at the signs to locate the aisle with the nuts. I couldn't think straight. He ran his thumb over my palm and closed his eyes thoughtfully. In that moment, we were the only two people in the entire store. Or at least it felt like it.

When his eyes opened they connected with mine in a mysterious way.

His response was slow, cautious…

"I remember thumbing through your gran's recipe box late one night when you were sleeping… I remember that the pecan pie recipe was significantly more stained than the others. I knew pecans would be special to you. I looked them up on the internet just the other week."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I let go of his hand, instantly remembering where the aisle with the pecans was. I walked swiftly toward it. He didn't follow me.

As soon as I rounded the corner into the aisle, I leaned back against the first shelving unit. I glanced down the aisle briefly; there was no one else there. Even if there was, I doubt I would have reacted any differently, I was used to people thinking I was crazy. I slouched all of my weight against the shelf trying to catch my breath. I used the back of my hands to feverishly wipe the tears from my eyes. I blotted lightly under my eyes with my index fingers.

I shook myself and stood tall. I focused all of my energy back to the task at hand. I scanned the aisle for the pecans, grabbed two packages and head back to the registers.

Eric was standing by the cart waiting for me, his face void - all signs of sentiment stripped away. I pushed the cart toward one of the bored looking checkout girls and pulled out my wallet.

I let Eric help me carry the bags to his car in the parking lot and then again into my house. The trip between the two points was silent.

I quietly said thank you when the last bag was brought into the house. He excused himself silently and left.

I slumped against the door he exited from, slid to the floor and cried. If Amelia and Octavia were home, they didn't let on. No one came out to see me and I was really glad they didn't. I had told them about needing the house to myself the next day so I assumed they were just making themselves scarce. I put away the groceries quietly and went into my room to go to sleep for the night.

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I woke up early the next day; I wrapped myself tightly in my robe and looked out the window into the distance. There was a visible glow on the horizon. I shuffled my feet across the cold floor kicking softly at the edge of the bed ruffle to find my slippers. My feet slid into them and I walked out through the hallway, opened the front door, and stepped onto the front porch. I sat down on the damp wood on the stairs; it was still wet with dew. My eyes focused on the little orbs of water that clung to each blade of grass and my mind wandered aimlessly. I watched the sunrise enjoying the calming effect it had on me.

I wished today were a day for sun baking and doing nothing. I felt the anxiety I'd been ignoring for days mounting up inside me. I felt like I was going to burst. My hands were nervously alternating between tense and relaxed and my shoulders felt as though they'd been carrying the weight of the world. They curved forward in surrender. My neck and head followed, my hair falling toward my knees.

I don't know how long I sat like that on the stairs, but when I pressed my palms against the wood to force myself up it was bone dry. My eyes sought the sun, which was now shining brightly in the sky. They instantly flickered closed and I felt the burning behind my eyelids.

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I took a quick shower, dressed, and began preparing for lunch in the kitchen.

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Niall arrived at 2:00. He knocked at the door. I had expected him to pop in like Claudine always seemed to. I smiled at his courteousness. He returned the smile and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. I felt my mood improve and I invited him to sit with me in the kitchen. He set a few small parcels down on the table and waited for me to sit down before he settled into his seat.

We made small talk while we ate. He seemed to enjoy the herbed fish and I was quite pleased – I couldn't even look at the pecan packages, I didn't use them. He thanked me graciously for the apple cake; he said it reminded him of something Einin used to bake. I had noticed the pensive look on his face when I put the cake in the oven, and I felt honored that he shared that with me.

When we finished our cake, I offered him another drink and he kindly declined. He reached out across the table, taking my hands in his before he spoke, "Dear One, I wanted greatly to shield you from this…" his mouth quirked, "there is a possibility of war among my kind. I have learned more since we last spoke, it appears that lines are being drawn and sides are being chosen." I gaped.

He continued, "We were once a formidable opponent in North America, now our numbers are meager. There are those that oppose my rule and wish to take my place."

He looked at me with a deep regret in his eyes. I knew he didn't want to be sharing this information with me.

"I had hoped…" he started, then paused, "I had hoped we would have more time together," he forced out. I wondered which of us he thought was on borrowed time.

"Claudine will continue to assist you when she can and Claude has offered to add you to his charge"

"Claude?" I questioned hesitantly

"Yes, he has some additional talents that could prove useful in times of strife… and the two of them are always stronger when they are together."

I contemplated how serious this must be for even Claude to be offering his services. I bit my bottom lip. I tried to focus on what he was saying, I needed to know what I could do for me, not just what other people could do for me.

"We need to ensure your safety Sookie, my enemies will not show you any kindness. I know how important it is to you to remain here with other humans; I will do my best to see that you can. I am not sure that I would be able to stow you away somewhere if I tried." He looked weary.

I guessed this was because my blood or maybe my mind wasn't strong enough for the places fairies retreated to. Part of me was glad that option was off the table, and another part of me feared being left out in the open defenseless.

He patted my hands softly and released them. He reached over for the parcels he had brought in earlier. The first item he pulled out was a long length of fine rope? It looked like strands of gold and ebony wound together. He knelt gracefully on floor beside me. He tied the strand around my ankle using a knot I had never seen before. He sat back down in his chair after he completed the knot. I watched it become less and less striking, finally fading to nearly nothing against my skin.

"A means of communication" he explained, "if something should happen to you, tear it off… it will be difficult but not impossible, it won't just snag on something, you will really need to tear. We will know the difference if you pull it off or if someone else does. Be wary of when you remove it as Claudine, Claude, and I will join you when you do. It is made of our hair and bound with powerful magic. Choose the best possible moment."

As if sensing my apprehension, he added, "I don't foresee this being utilized, I am being precautious. As far as I know no one outside of my circle knows about our relationship, I have been very careful."

I should have felt more relaxed knowing that, but I felt something strange tugging at my consciousness.

"I intend to do everything in my power to keep you safe child, please try not to be frightened."

I nodded warily.

The next few parcels contained things made exclusively for Niall by his chemists that he thought might come in handy. They all included hand written cards with them. I made a mental note to read over them again later before storing them someplace safe. It was all a bit much to take in at the moment, I was thankful for the included 'instructions.' I smiled at Niall timidly.

"They are all helpful items," He concluded. "I hope they may be of use to you in other ways when things settle down." He sounded optimistic.

"The most important gift I can give you is to teach you how to avoid fae influence."

I opened my mouth to speak and then closed it. He motioned for me to continue, so I did, "Are you sure I would be susceptible? I cannot be glamoured by vampires."

"While similar to vampire glamour in its intent, it is highly dissimilar in its execution and strength. There are those who are able to avoid vampire glamour by being strong willed…" He paused for emphasis, "You, dear one, are fiercely resolute." She could hear the delight in his voice as he called attention to this particular fact.

He took my hand once again, "I know for a fact that you have felt my influence."

I shifted visibly on my seat unsure of how to take this.

"Do you remember when you saw me at the wedding and you knew not to acknowledge my presence?"

"Yes."

"It was because that is what I wanted of you."

"But you didn't force me to do anything or tell you anything…"

"No, and I would never want to dear one, but there are those that would."

"How can you be sure?" I questioned. I had a feeling there was more to this story. I looked deeply into his sea green eyes and I knew that there was…

"I gave you a gift at Christmas time" he sighed deeply before continuing, "Claudine has since told me it was inappropriate."

"But, I love the opal necklace…"

He interrupted me, "Not the necklace… the man. Preston is a fairy." Niall looked apologetic, I hadn't expected it.

I closed my eyes and I saw him, his wild dark hair, and his round tawny eyes. I grinned happily despite my surroundings and our current conversation.

"I see he still brings you happiness. Perhaps you would like to see him again?"

I felt startled, the foolish grin retreated.

"But you just said…"

"Yes, I did. But perhaps you may choose a fairy as a mate when you are assured they cannot control your feelings and actions?"

He looked hopeful. I felt confused.

"You would be best protected by a fairy, and there are also other significant benefits…" He looked extremely pleased with himself. To his credit, it appeared the idea had just hit him and he hadn't come prepared to make this proposition. "Preston comes from an excellent family. He seemed quite taken with you."

I shook my head. My love life or sex life or whatever he was trying to assist with was way too confused to be adding more men to the mix, although I guess Preston was already in the mix. I felt embarrassed discussing this with my great-grandfather; especially with the odd way he was smiling at me.

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A/N Well, I hope that is an okay stopping point. I spent most of my free time watching the dudesons marathon today, lol so I didn't make it all the way through the Niall bit, but I still wanted to post what I wrote. :)

I am too much of a perfectionist and I am trying to beat it out of me by throwing this out there right after I finish it, if I let it sit with me it would probably be better but would never make it out (or take a ridiculously long time), trust me.


	9. Magical Matters

Lucky? Chapter 915/04/2009 02:25:00

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thanks for the reviews! They are really appreciated! It helps me gauge interest in the story and inspires my writing.

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**Sookie**

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_Already in the mix? What am I thinking?_

My mind starting putting two and two together and suddenly I knew why he brought up Preston.

_I thought he was a Were! The whole thing was what… staged? To what end? _

I felt sick when I realized 'the end', I had slept with him.

I had enjoyed it. _I still enjoyed it? _

I shook my head more violently this time trying to get Preston out of my mind. His eyes lingered longer than the rest of him… but I was able to clear my mind. I no longer felt the sense of enjoyment I had only moments before; there was a rage building up inside me.

My fingers started to curl toward my palms into fists; I could feel heat rising against my skin.

Niall attempted to comfort me by stroking my hand. I pulled back sharply and rocked backward in my chair stunned. I felt my eyes become icy as they connected with his.

_What in the world! He actually looks pleased. He has the nerve to sit there and tell me he had me manipulated and smile like a moron about it. _I really couldn't believe it.

I made several attempts to begin my tirade, but my tongue felt swollen in my mouth and I couldn't get anything out. I started shaking my finger wildly, aggressively in his direction. He had the audacity to chuckle!

His surprisingly strong hands reached out to me and drew mine back across the table. With some effort, he turned my arms until the backs of my hands were flat against the table. He laid his soft hands against my palms, his fingers extended up onto my wrists; I felt a small spark of energy when our palms connected. My eyes involuntarily closed. I felt my breathing regulate and my pulse slow. We sat in this position for a few moments.

"I've let down some of my guard dear one, you can read me."

"I'm not psychic great-grandfather..."

"I know child, but my thoughts are there, they are always there… you should be able to seek them out."

I wondered what he meant by 'some of my guard.' _I suppose there were things he needed to keep from me._ I thought sarcastically.

After only a few moments of searching his mind, my question was answered… yes indeed there were things he was keeping from me. His mind felt like a cool breezeway, a maze of solid ice walls… I didn't feel that my path was directed through it in any way, but I was aware of the areas that were restricted. It was unlike anything I'd ever sensed; it was calculated but not cruel… I felt welcome in spite of the multitude of barriers present.

I sensed he had strong reasons for keeping things from me. I couldn't find them specifically, but they _felt_ well intentioned to me.

Surprisingly, I found **all** of his intentions toward me honorable. Still, he didn't truly understand why his gift was poorly received. However, since Claudine explained to him it was against human custom, he acknowledged his blunder and would not repeat it. I felt comforted knowing this.

There were so many thoughts in his mind it was overwhelming, I could spend decades sieving through all of his experiences. I started to sort through them clumsily; I had no experience with this level of thoughts. Even when Merlotte's was full to capacity, there was never this much mental presence. It felt like I was being told stories by thousands of people in chorus; I longed for more focus.

.

I felt a strong presence in his mind that drew my attention and I felt my mind shifting it to the forefront. I could feel his joy… I knew why he was so pleased when I became upset just moments ago. Pride was bursting through all of the iciness and I felt temporarily blinded by it. In that moment, I forgave him. Completely, utterly, there was no lingering resentment. I don't know if I could explain what it feels like to understand someone so completely, but with this kind of understanding, it was as if I truly was him in that moment.

He knew I had rid myself of Preston's magic without any assistance or training… He wondered if a larger proportion of his genetic material had gone to me than he previously thought. He wondered if it had something to do with Adele's bloodline…

.

and that was as far as that theory went. I felt a new icy wall being erected, preventing me further access to that train of thought. I felt it pushing me away, coaxing me back to consciousness. I opened my eyes.

"I will not remove that thought from you child, because of my promise not to influence you, but I would ask that you don't speak of it again until I bring it up. It isn't time to discuss that yet. We have more important things to get through today."

I didn't like being told no, but our connection and his obvious trust in me prevented me from pushing him further. He slid his hands off of mine and elegantly folded them on the table in front of himself.

I took a few moments to compose myself, settling back in my chair comfortably.

"Are you still finding yourself angry with me?" He questioned lightheartedly

"No"

I was still surprised by that fact, but it was a truthful statement from me.

"I'm glad." He smiled, positively beaming at me. "So you found out that you have removed all traces of Preston's magic from your being?"

"Yes"

"Do you know how you were able to do this?"

"Not really… I just focused on him. I saw him in my mind, he was there one second… and in the next he was gone."

"Your defenses are strong dear one, I am delighted."

_Uhh Thanks?_ I thought, continuing to look at him, my mind bewildered.

"You will find among the gifts I brought today some potions that were not manufactured by industrial means." He smiled at me knowingly. "One of the vials in the yellow box with the bronze seal contains a serum created to detect and make known the identity of a magical being." He looked toward me for acknowledgement.

I smiled weakly; I didn't really understand what he meant.

He continued, "It would be helpful as a first line of defense to keep track of the magical beings in your life. We will watch for any anomalies. We must remain vigilant; there are many of my kind who move about unnoticed."

My eyes grew wide. I thought back to the Bellefleur wedding where Niall had gone largely unobserved. It was possible for any misintentioned being to get to me at any time. Even vampires moved at such high speeds, you didn't notice them until it was potentially too late. I eased my increasing apprehension by remembering that Niall had said no one knew of our connection.

_It was unlikely I would become a target. _I repeated that in my mind several times for emphasis.

_But why come to me with all of these potions and training? Why now?_

I still couldn't shake these lingering thoughts from my mind. I felt uneasy. I smiled at my great-grandfather. I decided not to let him know how uncomfortable I felt. I wanted him to be proud of me, I wanted to show him how strong and brave Sookie Stackhouse was.

He returned the smile. Nothing could replace the fatherly affection I saw in his eyes in that instant.

"Will you use some of the serum tonight?" He asked

I nodded.

"If it is alright with you, I will return next week at the same time with a guest?" He questioned.

"Who?" I choked out.

"I can't tell you. We will be testing the serum and your defenses."

_Oh, it's like that… didn't he just promise me no more manipulation?_

As if picking up on my internal debate, he said, "I won't compromise our agreement, nothing troublesome will happen. We will visit, _he_ will attempt to mask his visit in your mind, and then we will allow you to uncover it."

I focused on the 'he'_._ _Why couldn't Claudine come?_

"Will it be Preston?" I asked uncertainly.

"If you wish," He stated simply with a small smile.

"No, I'd rather it weren't." I decided I'd rather not have another man I'd been intimate with around.

He looked disappointed, but recovered quickly.

"Then, it will be someone else I know and trust." He smiled mischievously

I was glad I didn't know what he was thinking (or perhaps scheming is a better word).

Rising from the table, he held his hand out to help me up. When I was standing, he pressed one hand warmly but oddly flat against my shoulder. He leaned in and kissed me softly on the cheek. I reciprocated the gesture. Reaching out with the index finger of his other hand, he tapped my nose endearingly. He smiled proudly.

"Please do call the phone number I gave you if you feel inclined. Do not let anyone discourage you. You are my kin, and I have a right to assist you in all matters."

"Thank you great-grandfather. Is there anything else I can work on until we meet next?"

"How ambitious!" He paused thoughtfully. "Of course I would expect nothing less from you" he grinned before he continued, "You can ask your witch to project multiple streams of thought at you, a mixture ranging from simple and kind to coercive, scheming, and threatening. Try to differentiate between them and focus on assessing importance."

His pleasant expression turned serious, "Though you must make sure to tell her nothing of our connection."

I frowned slightly; I knew Amelia wouldn't be racing off to tell evil fairies of our relationship. I wanted to explain to him how trustworthy Amelia was. I felt my toes shift forward in my shoes; they moved about restlessly.

"It is for your safety dear one" he said simply, and when my frown didn't entirely disappear, he added, "and hers…"

That stopped me in my tracks; I didn't want to endanger Amelia.

"You can tell her you want to refine your telepathy. It would be the truth."

I thought about it. It was the truth, but Amelia often asked a lot of questions… _would I be able to keep it from her?_ Well, I knew I _could_ but would I give even the slightest hint away and make her upset that I didn't trust her… or worse, _put her in danger as a result_?

"Eric Northman may be of assistance; vampires often have several streams of thought at once." He offered as an alternative.

"I can't read vampires thoughts," I replied cautiously. I wasn't sure about lying to my great-grandfather after he had been so up front with me all evening… but I did. I couldn't risk admitting it out loud.

He looked skeptical but didn't press the issue.

"Then, I would highly suggest the witch," he replied and then added, "Or perhaps your cousins?"

"Claude and Claudine could help me?" I asked hopefully.

"Certainly. They would be glad to assist."

I thanked him as we walked toward the front door. He stepped out onto the porch and gave me another kiss on the cheek. I watched him descend the stairs before I closed the door. Just before it shut, I heard a pop!; he was gone.

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Before I went to bed, I located the yellow box with the bronze seal. _So official looking…_ I had a bit of a difficult time peeling back the seal, it gave me a terrible papercut. My blood stained the beautiful yellow cloth of the box and I frowned. I rushed into the bathroom and grabbed a bandaid to place over my cut. When I returned to the box, the seal was properly torn.

_I must have finally torn it when I got the papercut, at least it wasn't in vain._

I shrugged and lifted off the top of the box. Four little vials were inside. The liquid glimmered and flecks of crystal danced around inside when my finger touched them; they reminded me of snowglobes. I flipped through the cards that were tucked inside the lid. There was a description in latin in beautiful flourished handwriting on each notecard. Luckily, the descriptions appeared to be repeated in english on the other side. The glass vials were etched with roman numerals corresponding to each card.

It seemed I required vial III. I hesitantly removed the stopper and touched each wrist to the tip of the stopper like the card said. I felt a slight tingle as my wrist connected with the stopper, but nothing too intense. I placed the stopper back on the vial and nestled the vial back into its place in the box. I returned the notecards to the top of the box, set it back into place, and pressed the seal back down.

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The next day before I went to Merlotte's for my evening shift, I placed two phonecalls: one to Claudine to set up a lunch date for Tuesday in Monroe, and one to Claude, who said Monday nights were usually slow at Hooligans and I was more than welcome to stop by. Well, he didn't say 'more than welcome', but he did say I could stop by. I accepted his invitation.

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A/N Thanks so much for reading! Good things to look forward to - some time with the twins. :D and maybe we'll meet Claudine's boyfriend?

Next update will likely be on Saturday as I'm celebrating my 26th birthday on Friday and will be out/preparing tomorrow :) Best way to know when I update is to join the website and add the story to your alerts. I know I am always happy to see my email inbox when its full of SVM story updates!

*fingers crossed* for another chapter of 'Dead Ahead' (Ann Madison) for my birthday weekend, oh and 'Heart's Desire' (Vixenfae) if you aren't reading that one and like AU/human Eric its really cute! You should be! :)


	10. Hooligans!

Lucky? Chapter 1018/04/2009 22:31:00

A/N Thanks for all the reviews and birthday wishes!! I had a lovely couple of days (my Australian and US birthdays so I get 2!) and I'm excited to get back into the story. Skipping a few days here and there to speed things up so I'm labeling the days. **Bold** writing is from the last chapter to refresh memories. :)

As usual – Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun

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**The next day before I went to Merlotte's for my evening shift, I placed two phone calls: one to Claudine to set up a lunch date for Tuesday in Monroe, and one to Claude, who said Monday nights were usually slow at Hooligans and I was more than welcome to stop by. Well, he didn't say 'more than welcome', but he did say I could stop by. I accepted his invitation.**

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Monday

As I crossed the threshold into Hooligans, I immediately felt overdressed. Not in the 'I'm wearing formal business attire to a casual luncheon' way, but rather in the 'this clothing needs to come off immediately' way.

I had to peel my sweater off; there was already a layer of sticky sweat gluing it to my skin.

The interior of Hooligans was in stark contrast to the crisp winter weather outdoors. Only five minutes earlier on my walk through the parking lot to the club, I had been wrapping my fingers up in the scarf around my neck and scrunching it up to my nose to relieve the chill.

I would guess it was around 48 degrees outside this evening… and more like a very humid 80 inside Hooligans. I was thankful I had chosen to add cold weather accessories (tights, sweater, and scarf) to a summer sundress because I wasn't sure how I would have handled the feel of pants against my warm legs.

As I acclimated to my new moisture laden surroundings, my eyes scanned the club for the restrooms. My tights needed to come off as soon as possible; I was tempted to roll them off as I stood there in the entrance. The lady in me blushed as I thought of removing clothing right then and there, although I doubt the blush was even visible as my entire body felt flushed pink due to the heat.

I located the restrooms, which were to the left of the bar, and made a mad dash toward them. It was a single restroom with an ornate couch and dressing table at one end and facilities at the other. I dropped my bag and sweater on the couch and set to removing my tights. It felt incredibly satisfying to roll the tights down my hips, over my knees, and finally past my ankles. I moaned lightly as air made direct contact with my skin at each point. I lifted my dress up around my waist and spread my legs, fanning myself with my free hand.

The sink was beckoning me. As soon as my hand made contact with the cool faucet, I calmed. Cool water rushed out and I relished the feel of it against my hands. I took several lengths of cold wet paper towel and pressed them firmly against my neck, my cheek, and my inner thighs in turn. Water dripped off the towels and trailed down my body but I didn't care… I couldn't get enough of the coolness.

There was a loud knock at the door, which startled me from my euphoria. Gathering up the used paper towels, I reluctantly turned the tap off and threw them in the trashcan. I excused myself from the restroom and the woman rushed into the room in much the same way I had.

With my mind clear, I made my way to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. I thanked the bartender, left a nice tip, and sat at the first available table I saw. I dumped all of my things in the seat next to me and closed my eyes for a second. I tipped the drink to my mouth, letting the ice meet and connect with my lips for a few seconds before taking the sip in. I swirled the contents in my mouth, letting the chilled drink make contact with my hot tongue before swallowing. I felt aroused as the drink slithered through me cooling me from the inside out.

I wondered if Claude knew this was the effect his club had on people…

As I opened my eyes and properly assessed the club for the first time, I knew it was intentional.

There was a thick muggy steam oozing from the two sides of the main stage. The stage itself was covered in golden sparkling sand and there were two shallow pools of water adjacent the stage, creating what appeared to be mini stages in their own right. The backdrop on the main stage was stunning. It was an extension of the stage - an island made of the same golden sand, full of palm trees, with rippling ocean waves at its edges and a stunning ship off in the distance.

I felt myself being transported mentally to the island and I relaxed into the atmosphere. I could hear waves crashing and birds singing… and that was when I became overwhelmed with what everyone in the room was thinking.

It took everything I had to build my shields up so I wasn't hearing them. I was no longer aroused. I was mortified that I had over heard what these women and men were thinking about the performers, the performers I hadn't noticed before then.

I was so taken by the scenery that I didn't see Claude and the other dancers. They certainly were attractive – a mixture of pirates and sailors, some moving through the sand, some hanging from draped green fabric above the pools, and others dancing near more traditional poles at the end of the sandy runway.

However, it was obvious Claude still stood out. He was incredibly tall, his perfection exceeding human standards. It didn't take a telepath to know that everyone in the room was focused on Claude. I felt I had slightly more willpower because he _was_ my cousin and I knew the personality behind the man? _perhaps supernatural being or fairy is more accurate? _a bit better than most. But I still felt myself drawn to him as my eyes danced around the room taking in the views.

When Claude noticed me in the audience, he smiled and blew me a kiss. I felt the eyes in the room quickly take me in with a momentary death stare before they regained their focus on Claude. I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't need anyone getting the wrong idea. The 'I want to kill Sookie Stackhouse' club is long enough as it is.

I ordered another gin and tonic from the bartender who asked me a few questions about how I knew Claude. I told him we had posed for a book cover together and left it at that. He smiled at me sweetly as he fixed my drink. I knew that he had more questions… telepath – guilty as charged… but I made no attempt to further the conversation and he didn't either; luckily he valued his tips.

I took the drink back to my table and quickly noticed that Claude was no longer on stage. As if on cue, a woman wearing an apron with pockets full of assorted makeup and brushes tapped me on the shoulder asking me to follow her.

I scooped up my drink and things following her through a door to the right of the stage. As we walked through the club, I was trailed by obligatory death stares and I wished I could yell out "Trust me, he would not be interested in me! First off, we are cousins, and second, because I am a _woman_!" As much as I would have liked to, I knew I couldn't… the former was at Niall's request and the latter could result in Claude losing business and I knew that would be bad for me somehow in the long run. I affixed a bewildered smile to my face in an attempt to convey that I knew as little as everyone else and therefore could not be held accountable.

As we walked through the door and entered a long hallway, the makeup lady motioned towards the second door on the left and then started walking in the opposite direction. I shrugged, walked to the aforementioned door, and knocked loudly.

"Come in," called Claude melodically.

I opened the door and found Claude seated in an armchair in a room full of mirrors.

_Must be a dressing room? _I thought

He motioned for me to sit in the armchair opposite him. I placed my things on the floor next to the chair and sat down. The chair was really comfortable and I found myself examining it, trying to detect what made it so comfortable. _Was it the fluffy but firm seat, the position of the arms, the angle of the back…_

When I looked at Claude, I could see he was smiling but clearly in an impatient manner. I turned my attention to him. He must not be used to people assessing chairs in his presence. I felt awkward. I smiled at him pleasantly.

"So, Can I ask if there is anything you need my assistance with Sookie? Or are you simply here as a patron of the club?"

I felt myself growing red, I knew the strip club was not a place I was likely to go on my own, if at all. "Oh, no, I'm not here to see the club. I just wanted to see you."

His eyebrows rose devilishly. "If you wanted a private show Sookie, you could have told me that when you called."

I could have kicked myself for becoming slightly excited when he said that. I felt nauseous immediately after.

As if sensing my discomfort, he laughed wholeheartedly. I felt something coming from Claude that I had never felt before, a true sense of humor. I relaxed and smiled at him to let him know I had gotten his joke.

I searched my mind for the right words, but he spoke first.

"I see you are able to escape my charms." He looked lost in thought for a moment. "I don't think I've ever met a human who has been able to do so. I had a feeling when we did the photo shoot that you weren't as enthusiastic as you should be… but you did agree to the shoot and I got what I wanted…" He paused.

I took this moment to interject, "Niall is training me to avoid fae influence. I thought you might be able to help. I've got to practice sorting through multiple thoughts. Niall said it would be a good place to start."

He looked at me suspiciously. I didn't think he wanted to help, his face wasn't giving away much, but he started to look more like he usually did – self-absorbed. This couldn't be good for me.

"And Claudine can't help you?" he questioned.

"Well, I am going to see her tomorrow in Monroe…" I started

He held up his index finger to silence me, and I shuffled in my seat. I wasn't interested in dealing with this kind of behavior much longer… I was starting to get upset. I don't know that I had expected any different from him, but it was trying my patience… and I'd rather not stay here and waste my time if that is what I was doing. My eyes narrowed as I focused on his face but he didn't seem at all phased by my obvious agitation. He looked caught up in his own mind again. I wondered if he was making his thoughts known to me and I let down my guard to eavesdrop. I didn't pick up anything from him. I wondered if we had to be in physical contact like I was with Niall. If so, he would surely know about that. _Why was he concentrating yet not reaching out to me? _

I shifted audibly in my seat and his eyes blazed in my direction. A wicked smile appeared on his face.

"You will need me for the evil thoughts." He started

I was puzzled. What was he talking about?

"Claudine can't risk even thinking such things…" He looked absolutely delighted as he spoke.

He reached out to touch my hand and I felt his mind for a brief second before he pulled away.

"Not now Sookie," he cautioned. "I haven't thought of what I'll think yet, and some of my thoughts are positively terrifying." He smiled wickedly yet again. "I wouldn't want to scare you cousin." He said with mock concern.

Mock or not, I would take it!

"Thank you."

"Are your shields back up?"

"Yes."

He reached out to take my hand once more. I noticed that his skin was covered with a glittery powder… his skin was radiant. He leaned forward and his scent invaded my personal space; he smelt lovely. His eyes connected with mine and I watched his eyelashes flutter at me. I smiled at him and then winked. I knew what he was trying to do and I wasn't having any of it. He leaned back and chuckled.

"Sookie, I don't know if you even need my help! If you can resist me, you are certainly far better off than most humans."

"Still, I… want to take the precautions Niall has suggested."

He nodded at me enthusiastically. So I would have his help, I was glad. I wanted to do everything I could to strengthen myself for… well I didn't want to think about what it might be for, but I knew I wanted to find some way around having to ask Amelia for help, and it looked like I had!

Claude said that he would come up with a few exercises we could work on and asked how late I would be with Claudine the next day. I let him know I didn't have work on Wednesday so it could be as late as necessary. He said he arrived home from work around 2am on a Tuesday, so we planned to practice then. He also joked that having Claudine around for the lighthearted thoughts would come in handy.

I saw a faint glimmer of pride and love in his eyes as he said his goodbyes and kissed me on the cheek. Then as quickly as it came… it went, replaced by sheer adoration of himself.

"Feel free to stick around," he said. "Things are going to heat up soon…"

I wondered how much hotter it could get, if it was sweltering when I arrived just after 9pm.

"At 11 we bring out the swords," was all he said as he winked at me and laughed.

I excused myself graciously. I told him that as much as I _wanted_ to stick around, I had work the next morning and it probably wouldn't be a good idea. It was true about working the next morning… but not true about wanting to stick around, but I thought his ego probably couldn't handle anything to the contrary. He was my cousin – I'd indulge him.

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I walked back across the crowded parking lot, bundling myself back up with my sweater and scarf during the journey. It was impressive how many people the club attracted on a Monday! And according to Claude, this was a slow day. I couldn't even begin to imagine where I would have parked if this were a Friday or Saturday evening.

The breeze that blew through the lot felt chilly on my legs and I increased my speed in an attempt to bring my body temperature back up. It seemed I couldn't win tonight.

I spotted my car… _only a few yards away! _

But there was something odd about it, there was someone already sitting inside… no, not just some_one_, some vampire.

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A/N I hope you recognized Claude in there… I wanted him to be similar to the one in the books, but I also wanted to throw in a few glimpses of something deeper. I wanted there to be some semblance of Claudine and Niall in there, even if it's buried a bit. I also think Sookie has a way of drawing things out of people.


	11. Blonde Protection

A/N I received an amazing handful of reviews this afternoon that were so encouraging, I just had to put out another chapter tonight! Thank you all so much!!

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**I spotted my car… **_**only a few yards away! **_

**But there was something odd about it, there was someone already sitting inside… no, not just some**_**one**_**, some vampire.**

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Blond hair gleamed in the moonlight through the car window. I found myself torn between excitement and dread at the thought of our imminent talk. I hesitated. I took one full step backward, but it was no use. I was already in range and the vampire was fully aware of my presence.

I stood my ground and watched as cold blue eyes turned to face me. In that moment, I pushed the dread down as deep as I could and decided to go for the 'excited' approach. I plastered the best smile I could on my face and walked confidently toward the car. I walked up to the driver's side door and let myself in.

"It's good to see you Pam, to what do I owe the honor?" I said cheerfully.

"You smell delicious," Pam said as she sniffed the air with interest.

I could sense the restraint in her voice and I hoped it would hold. I rolled down my window and motioned for Pam to do the same. She didn't move.

"Pam!" I yelled. "Pam, you listen to me, you roll down your window and calm down or get out. I don't know what you were thinking waiting for me outside of a club owned by a fairy!"

She blinked. I saw recognition cross her face.

"I wish Eric would share you," she stated playfully as she slowly rolled down her window. When she looked back up at me she was grinning at me with her fangs out.

My nerves were still on high alert and I found it hard to return the smile.

"If you were anyone else, he would," she continued with a distinct frown on her face.

"Pam…" I cautioned.

"So, what's with the strip club on a Monday? Eric will love hearing about this." Her unnerving smile was back.

"I was visiting someone."

"At his place of business, and not his home?"

"How do you know it's a man I was here to see?" I asked casually in an attempt to mask my interest in her knowledge of the situation.

"Sookie, from the smell on you, I know it wasn't a _man_. Do you think you and Eric can hide things from me?"

I looked at her and shrugged. I wasn't giving anything away… _let's see what she thinks she knows_.

She sighed deeply, for my benefit, to illustrate her irritation. "I know about Claude," was all she said. _That isn't giving too much away, all females, supe or not, within a hundred mile radius probably know about Claude. _"and Claudine," she paused for emphasis… "and Niall."

"But Eric hasn't told you anything?" I ventured. I really didn't like the idea of keeping things from Pam, but if Eric was, I didn't think it was my place to say anything.

"He has said nothing since Niall called about you. I had to figure it out on my own." She smiled admiring her own craftiness.

I realized we were still sitting in the parking lot; this was a conversation that could be had while driving home.

"Pam, did you bring a car here?"

"No, I ran."

"Do you mind if we talk while I drive home?" I asked out of courtesy.

"Not at all," she said as she motioned for me to start driving.

I laughed at her audacity.

As we drove, I filled her in on what I knew of the situation and she told me a little of what she knew about Niall and his connection with Eric. It wasn't much. I don't know if that was intentional on Pam's part or if it was really all she knew.

_Vampires first,_ I reminded myself.

"Where does Eric think you are?" I asked when we pulled into my driveway.

"With you of course."

"He sent you?"

"I offered to come… I wanted to talk with you."

"And Eric knows about that?"

"No."

"Will he be upset about what we talked about?"

"Oh yes." She smiled.

"Will you be in trouble?"

"No more than usual." Her smile widened to the point where it crossed the line from sweet to undeniably lethal.

I rolled up my window and Pam followed suit. We exited the car.

"Would you like to come inside Pam?"

"Yes… I should check around the house first. Give me a minute, I'll be right in."

I wondered if it was her vampire self-preservation skills causing her to investigate the area before relaxing inside or if it was an order from Eric. I had been highly suspicious of Bill's behavior on my property at night, and Eric all but confirmed that he had sent Bill sniffing around my property when I saw him the other night. I figured it was the latter; I was under some sort of surveillance!

_I will be having a word with Eric about this_ I thought as I tapped my foot impulsively. I was growing agitated as I thought about it.

_Were they merely hunting around the house or were they spying on me inside as well?_

In my moment of frustration, Pam walked in through the front door and I met her with a fixed stare. She appeared unmoved as she glared back at me and then laughed.

"Pam, I'm sorry I invited you in when I don't really have time for this. I have to work early tomorrow morning… you can go back to Fangtasia and tell Eric that I went to bed safely."

"I'm not here because of Eric," she said sincerely.

"Oh, no?" I asked sarcastically.

"This is the king's schedule. I have been chosen to assist in your protection," she replied proudly.

I gaped.

"And Eric is on the schedule too?"

"No. Eric is quite busy at the moment, although everyone does check in with him." Unfortunately, she didn't offer any further explanation.

She flashed me a smile. "But… if I didn't know better, I'd say he wished he was." She looked positively tickled at the idea.

"Who else?" I demanded

"Who else what Sookie?"

"Who else is on this schedule Pam!" I squeaked out (a little more unsettled than I hoped to sound).

"Bill argued that he should have the most nights, his argument was quite convincing. Nonetheless, Eric argued against him and Clancy, Thalia, and I each have a night. Eric has been unhappy with Bill lately, so I've offered a couple of extra nights. As you've noticed Eric has been able to slip away a few times, and Felipe De Castro has been here twice that I know of."

My mind was whirling. _I didn't even know where to start with that! I was definitely in the company of the best option available. I had some inkling that Eric was watching me, but he was sending Clancy and Thalia? How could he! Especially Clancy, something about him just rubbed me the wrong way. No, wait… it wasn't Eric sending them. It was the king. Why? Why was Felipe De Castro sending the vampires of area 5 to watch my house at night? Why had he himself come to my house not once, but twice? And why did he believe Bill should be watching over me? _

Pam was watching me with amusement on her face.

"Did you not know?" she teased.

I stated the obvious. "No, Pam. I didn't know. I thought there was something going on when I ran into Bill close by more often than necessary, but I didn't know it was this."

"How did you think the vampires of Louisiana were going to keep you under formal protection without observation? Sookie, you are only mortal and you _do_ find yourself in trouble quite often."

I opened my mouth to rebut her claims, but honestly couldn't. I didn't know of anyone else with formal vampire protection, so I had no way to know what it included. And even though I resented the comment about trouble, it was the truth. Although, it couldn't all be placed on me, some of it was clearly vampire induced.

"I need to go to bed." It was weak, but I was overwhelmed and I knew I shouldn't talk to Eric in this state of mind, although I really wanted to give him a piece of it. I also knew better than to linger here with Pam while I was fuming, it would come back to haunt me.

"Of course." She actually looked vaguely apologetic. "I will finish my shift outside."

"No need Pam, please stay. Octavia is with her niece, and I don't know if Amelia is already home or will be home tonight, but I'm sure she won't mind. Please help yourself to some TrueBlood; it's in the fridge. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Sookie, do you need me to tuck you in?"

I smiled at her before I left to go to bed. She winked at me and settled down on the couch. I heard her walking into the kitchen when I was brushing my teeth. When she returned, I heard her phone ringing as she walked past my door.

"Yes, master. I understand." I heard faintly as I slipped into my cozy nightgown and fell into bed.

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I was just starting to fall asleep when the door opened. I groggily rolled onto my side to address Pam. She sat on the edge of the bed and reached out for my hand. I pulled it back and rubbed at my eyes. In a flash, she was under the covers behind me.

_What was she doing? _

"Pam?"

"No lover."

That sure startled me out of my daze.

"Eric, no." I shifted to my other side to face him. "You don't get to send your minions here to keep tabs on me and then show up yourself at the slightest bit of resistance from me. It isn't fair."

"Did I ask you what was fair?"

"No, but…"

"You are protected. This is what matters."

He pulled me toward him and began stroking my hair with one hand, his other hand lazily drawing circles on my hip. We had gone from 'too close for comfort' to 'way too close for my sanity' in about three seconds.

"Er-ic!" I shouted the first syllable, then thought of Amelia possibly being upstairs and decreased my volume for the second.

He was unphased and moved closer to nuzzle his face in my hair. I shoved at him with all of my strength until he deduced that he was unwelcome and moved away _slightly._ He was still within the radius of 'too close for comfort.'

I pushed myself back until I was at the edge of my side of the bed. He didn't move closer; part of me was disappointed and the other part of me hated myself for feeling disappointed. I watched him as he reclined on his side of the bed, tucking his arms under his head. He closed his eyes and drew his long legs up into an arched position with his feet aligned under his knees. The blankets were twisted and scrunched in the process and I could see his bare feet sticking out at the end. I felt the tears welling up in my eyes at the sight. There were so many memories between us, things and times I was sure would never be again. Moments like this left me with a sense of false hope which in turn made me upset and angry.

Luckily when he opened his eyes, all evidence of my sadness on my face was already replaced by anger.

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All the feelings coursing through my body were strong and aimed directly at Eric. I consider myself an intelligent person… I wonder why in that moment I didn't think of our blood bond.

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Eric looked at me thoughtfully as he switched on the bedside lamp.

"Eric, please. I really do have to work early tomorrow." _And stay up until after 2pm to practice with Claude and Claudine! _

He studied my face in the warm glow of the lamp. I desperately wanted to reach out to him. I wanted to touch his face, his hair, lick his gorgeous mouth that was set stubbornly in a line…

"Sookie, will you promise not to do anything about your formal protection until we have had a chance to discuss it?"

"Yes." It was all I could say that would ensure I would sleep tonight. Let him win… for now.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay and cuddle?" He leered.

"You can stay, but I'm going to sleep," I said. He looked shocked, but the opportunist in him quickly made the most of the situation. He stood up and removed his shirt and pants and was back in the bed with me cradled against his chest before I could think twice about saying he could stay.

For the first time in weeks, I slept wonderfully. No small noises woke me, no nightmares plagued me, and I didn't spend the hour before I fell asleep wondering where Eric Northman was.

I knew.

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A/N I knew people might be disappointed that it was Pam in the car, but I needed it for my plot… lol so Eric has weaseled his way into yet another chapter, totally unplanned! lol work and Claudine (which were supposed to be this chapter) will be in the next chapter. :D I can't seem to follow my outline!


	12. An Italian Lunch with Claudine

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun

Thanks as always for the reviews! I've already started on Chapter 13, so I might get that out tonight as well. I'll be heading up to the central coast tomorrow, so nothing planned for tomorrow evening as a heads up. :)

Only a little over two weeks until Dead and Gone! I pre-ordered my copy on Amazon, I hope it doesn't take too long to travel here to Australia!!

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**For the first time in weeks, I slept wonderfully. No small noises woke me, no nightmares plagued me, and I didn't spend the hour before I fell asleep wondering where Eric Northman was. **

**I knew.**

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Tuesday

I woke to find my blankets bundled tightly around me. _Eric must have wrapped me up before he left._ His kind gestures were rapidly stacking the pro column on my mental Eric list. Unfortunately there were a few serious cons that still stuck in my side like thorns. I tried my best to ignore them, I wanted to be happy and enjoy our time together but the deep ache I felt inside when I thought of what could happen if I ignored them altogether prevented me from doing so. If I thought I was hurting when things with Bill turned sour… I could be completely broken if I allowed myself to give in to my feelings for Eric.

_It can't hurt right now though right? To think of him fondly? Can it? He isn't here to witness it…_

I was kidding myself.

Rolling over to the side of the bed previously occupied by Eric, I snuggled my face into the blankets to take in his lingering scent. It was heavenly; Eric was an intoxicating combination of woodsy cologne, soap, and raw masculinity. I shuddered as I let his scent overwhelm me.

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Unwrapping myself from blankets and sheets, I found my long nightgown was pushed up over my thighs. _So he is_ _not quite the angel I was just making him out to be_… but I knew that anyway.

I noticed that my panties remained in tact… so he hadn't tried anything I _might_ have said no to if I had been awake.

I chuckled softly at his actions, smoothed my nightgown back over my legs, and reached into the bedside table for some warm socks.

I sat on the edge of the bed and rolled my thick wooly socks up to my knees. I couldn't stand sleeping with socks on, but they felt so soft, warm, and welcoming first thing in the morning.

Shuffling around the room looking for my slippers, I noticed my alarm clock. _6:58am? Well, I guess what they say is true, quality over quantity. Ah, there you are! _

I found my slippers and scooted down the hallway into the kitchen for some breakfast.

Taking my oatmeal and hot chocolate out on the front porch, I sat on the swing and rocked silently. It was incredibly peaceful.

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I pulled into the parking lot at Merlotte's at quarter to nine. I was surprised to find the door was already open.

"Hello? … Sam?" I called out

"Yeah, Sook. Back here!" Sam called from the storeroom.

I wandered through the bar toward Sam, dropping my bag and coat at a table on the way.

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"Wow, don't you look nice," Sam said as he took in my appearance.

"Thanks Sam." I blushed and gave him an affectionate hug.

"Well, what's the occasion? I know today is kind of like a new first day at work, but it certainly doesn't warrant such a lovely dress."

"Now, Sam Merlotte, you take that back! This is a very nice establishment and I would dress like this all of the time if we didn't have uniforms."

He wasn't buying it.

_Oh no, did he expect me to wear my uniform today? Maybe I'm acting too familiar… it is his bar. I've gotten so comfortable being here, I guess I almost forgot that part. _

"Sorry Sam, should I wear my uniform when I come in the morning?"

"Naw cher, I was just teasing you. Are you sure you don't have something special planned today? We could do this another time?"

"Well, I do have a lunch date with Claudine today, but I don't have to be in Monroe for hours. I'd love to get started if that's okay with you?"

"Sure Sookie, is this lunch with Claudine anything I should know about?"

"Nope," I replied as I walked over to the wall to get the inventory list down from its hook.

He looked at me warily, but simply said, "Okay."

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We walked through the stock, refrigerated, and freezer rooms together, writing our counts down on the list. Returning to the stock room he showed me how to access the accounts on the computer. I sat in the chair and he learned in from the left side eventually settling himself on the arm of the chair.

It was much easier to find ordering information this way. Apparently he had all but switched over to this system four years ago, although he kept the old ordering books out in his office just in case. They are the ones I had used. We went through the process of manually entering in the information from my orders into the computer together.

He showed me the Internet browser and how to locate his bookmarked websites. Some things, like dishes and glasses, were much easier to order this way he told me. He said he usually waited until he had a large enough order to qualify for free shipping. We laughed as he said we were probably close to that amount as a result of training new waitresses.

"Was I that clumsy when I started here Sam?" I giggled struggling to think back to that time.

"No…" He breathed deeply, "You were perfect, you still are the best thing about this bar."

I was still giggling until I looked at his face and saw the seriousness it held.

"Well, I'll leave you to it," he said as he stood up and patted my arm. He pointed to the print icon on the screen and walked into his office.

The printer hummed to life and began spitting out order forms. I had decided to print one of each so I could familiarize myself with them. Only one of them needed to be used that day. I filled it out, faxed it off, and received a confirmation fax in return. I was quite proud of myself.

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When I walked into Sam's office to ask him if there was accounting software as well, (there had to be) I noticed that he was on the phone. I knocked lightly on the door and pointed to the accounting books on the filing cabinet. He nodded, tucked the phone under his chin for a moment and said, "You can use those today, I can show you the program next week, okay?"

Nodding, I scooped the books up in my arm and took them out to a table in the bar. I found the box of receipts near the register and started filling out the columns.

It didn't take as long as I planned… and there really wasn't any more to do around the bar. I knocked on Sam's office door again to let him know I'd be leaving unless he thought there was anything else I could help out with.

He stood and walked over to me. "Not a thing cher, and I really appreciate your help. This is really great not having to worry about these things. Thank you."

"Well, Thank you for the opportunity Sam."

"Anytime." He gave me a soft peck on the cheek and walked me to the door. "I'll see you Thursday?"

"Definitely." I smiled and he grinned back.

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I called Claudine as soon as I got to my car. There wasn't enough time to go home, but if I left now I'd be getting to Monroe early and I didn't like showing up unexpected.

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Once she heard of my plans with Claude that evening, she talked me into spending the night at their house. I explained that I was at Merlotte's and I'd have to stop back home to pick up a few things. We planned to meet up a half hour later than we originally discussed to compensate.

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It only took me twenty minutes to pack my bag so I sat down at the table with a few cookies from the cookie container (We would be having lunch a little later than originally planned…) and wrote Amelia a note telling her where I would be that evening just in case she got home and was wondering. I considered leaving a note on the front door addressed simply 'Attn: Vampires' but thought better of it. I would call Eric in the evening and let him know I wouldn't be home that night.

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Lunch was delicious. Claudine had picked a teeny tiny little Italian restaurant in Monroe that was barely recognizable from the street. The only tell tale signs were the red gingham curtains in the two small front windows and the antique chalkboard with the specials written in Italian by the door. It was just as quaint and unassuming inside. There were fifteen tables on the first floor and there was like a set of stairs that led to more seating? Or perhaps a function room?

There was a massive adobe pizza oven in the back that looked like it went through to the kitchen. The sound of women laughing and cooking resonated through the entire establishment.

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We both had the grilled chicken salad (her suggestion) and I was so glad we did. The chicken was so full of flavor; I tried my best to figure out the spice mixture as I ate. _No luck. I'd have to come back. _And the salad dressing, oh my! I was thankful that I noticed they were selling bottles of it behind the counter. I purchased two, one for my house and one to drop off for Sam. _We might be able to push more salads if we had a dressing like this on the menu._

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Before we left, Claudine addressed the man behind the counter, they had a brief conversation in Italian (which must have been funny because they were both laughing) and he brought out a small produce box full of fresh pasta, salad, and sauce shaking his finger at her knowingly. She thanked him, gave him a big hug, and told him we would be back for it later. We had shopping to do!

.

"What was that about?"

She looked at me puzzled for a minute, and then acknowledging that I don't speak Italian, she said, "It was about dinner, Sookie. Do you like fresh pasta?"

"I've never made my own pasta before."

"Well, you are certainly missing out! But don't worry Sookie, we will fix that tonight."

"So, do you speak any other languages?" I asked.

"All of them," she said with a sincere smile.

"Is that a fae trait?"

"It is unique to the Brigant line." She smiled proudly. "Oh, and of course fairies of true royal blood also possess the trait, but we are the only family." She added.

"But isn't Niall a Prince?" I was a bit confused.

She hesitated. I could sense she wasn't sure how much she was allowed to discuss with me. I had run into similar discussion halts with Niall. We started walking away from the restaurant toward one of the main shopping streets.

"It is his title, true… but it was not acquired by blood," she chuckled, "well not his blood anyway…"

That was all she offered, and I was happy to leave it there as well.

"You know…" she started with a twinkle in her eye, "being a linguist will be very helpful on my path. It can take others centuries to learn all the languages required." She winked.

I picked up on her hint. "Do many Brigants become Angels?"

"Oh yes, many of us do. My mother and two of my older siblings are angels."

"Do you see them often?"

"Not really." She frowned.

Hoping to lift the mood, I asked, "What about Claude?"

She laughed. "We have hopes for him, but I think they might be in vain."

When we realized the word 'vain' had come up in a sentence regarding Claude, but not directly describing him, we laughed.

She threw her hands up, "Well you know."

I nodded.

"As long as we can keep him from the darkness, I'll be pleased." She was still smiling, but I could sense a slight discomfort in the way she said it and I decided to change the subject again.

"So, where are we going?"

"To all of my favorite stores!" she replied cheerfully. "in Monroe, of course." she clarified with a warm smile.

"Well, bring them on," I said enthusiastically. "Working myself to near death apparently paid off because I've got some extra money this month for clothes thanks to Sam." With the majority of it tucked safely away in the bank after paying a few bills, I was happy to have a few hundred to spend at my leisure.

"I'm glad to hear it Sookie!"

.

We spent the next four hours blissfully shopping and chatting. I heard more about Callum and her 'trips to Ireland' and I told her about my new job at Merlotte's and about my meeting with Niall. She was excited for me about my new job, and absolutely thrilled that Niall was taking such a strong interest in me.

I bought a few casual dresses, two sweaters, and a pair of shoes that Claudine said I would have to be silly to leave behind. It took a bit of cajoling, but they fit so well and the style was timeless; I was in high spirits when we left the shop with them boxed up delicately in a shopping bag. I hugged the bag to my chest and hoped I would have an occasion to wear them soon.

Claudine picked out several dresses and I fought back the urge to be jealous. Everything looked amazing on her tall slender frame, it seemed there wasn't any look she couldn't pull off. I must have said as much out loud at one point because she said, "Don't be silly! You are stunning. You know you remind me very much of my mother, she was absolutely breathtaking." I tried to imagine anyone being lovelier than Claudine; I found it hard to picture. I scrunched my nose at her and sloughed off her comment.

"No, I am serious Sookie."

She took my hands in hers, in the same way that Niall had. I felt an image at the forefront of her mind of a woman. She did look sort of like me… we had very similar facial features, although her eyes were green and her stature was willowy like Claudine. The oddest thing was that her hair appeared to be the exact same shade as mine. I'll admit, it was hard to compare myself to an image in my head, but it was eerily similar.

When Claudine was satisfied the image had passed to me, she let my hands go.

"But your hair?" I questioned.

"I know... it's dark right? It's like my fathers was."

I noticed that she had referred to both her father and mother in the past tense. Perhaps this was because they had both moved on from their existence as fairies and no longer took a human-like corporeal form? I didn't ask. I knew she didn't want me to ask. It felt almost like it had when I saw Niall at the wedding. The difference was I felt I had the ability to ask and I was _choosing_ not to.

.

We dropped all of our bags back at our cars and stopped back into the Italian restaurant. It was crowded with people. Candles all throughout the room cast amazing shadows on the walls; it was positively enchanting at night. Smelling the aromas in the room, I felt my stomach growl in anticipation. I smiled as the man at the counter handed the produce box over to Claudine. I noticed there was a small checkered box on top tied with a beautiful gold ribbon. It grabbed my attention and I thought I overheard Claudine tell the man, "you shouldn't have!" to which he replied, "but they are always your favorite." _Why would they all the sudden be speaking English? _I didn't doubt he was fully capable as a restaurant owner in Louisiana of speaking English… but it just seemed odd to me considering their previous exchange. Perhaps it was for my benefit? Or maybe since the restaurant was so full of customers it was for their benefit?

He gave Claudine a kiss on the cheek and reached out to touch my cheek amiably. "Arrivederci ragazze!" He called out to us as we walked toward the door. Claudine waved at him. I smiled and waved as well.


	13. Why did it have to be Clancy?

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thanks to everyone still keeping up with my story!

"**Arrivederci ragazze!" He called out to us as we walked toward the door. Claudine waved at him. I smiled and waved as well.**

.

.

.

Claudine and I talked and giggled wildly as we enjoyed our dinner. Her stories were hilarious and left me feeling surprised at my ability to keep food in my mouth during dinner.

.

My sides ached by the time we were finished and I felt tears of laughter spilling down my cheeks.

Asking Claudine where the bathroom was, I wiped my eyes delicately wondering if there was significant damage to my eye makeup as a result of the tears.

Since we were having a special day I had gone with a classic smoky eye. It was a little sad to think it might be ruined. Not one for wearing much makeup, I wasn't really sure what it would look like now.

The makeup was a part of the day, and I didn't want the day to end. We were having so much fun and I felt protected with Claudine. It's not a typical emotion one considers with friends or family, but after the things I've been through… it's one of the first things on my mind.

She smiled and pointed to the left of the kitchen, "Just down that hallway, second door on your right."

.

Opening the door to the bathroom, I was overwhelmed by a lovely aquatic scent. Turning on the lights, I noticed the room had a similar atmosphere to Hooligans._ Thankfully without the heat! _

The walls were a pale green-blue and were decorated with tastefully framed photographs of coastlines from all around the world. Looking at them longingly, I pictured myself visiting these beautiful places.

I could see why they, or at least Claude, had some attachment to the sea. Sandy beach, rocky shore, or terrifying cliff – where water meets land is always a beautiful sight.

_I wonder how many of these places they have visited?_ I thought as I happily positioned myself in front of the mirror.

Dabbing at my eyes with a bit of tissue, I was glad to see my makeup hadn't smudged. Although perhaps seeing as how we were home for the night, I should be washing it off soon.

That's when it struck me. _Night! _

.

I washed my hands quickly and walked back into the kitchen.

"I've just got to make a quick call Claudine, do you mind if I go outside for a moment?"

"Not at all. Please take your time. We still have hours before Claude gets home." She smiled at me amiably.

Smiling back, I thanked her and excused myself, grabbing my bag before heading out the front door. Once outside, I pulled my cell phone out of my bag and dialed the number for Fangtasia.

"Fangtasia, the bar with a bite. Come into Shreveport's premier vampire bar, where the undead…"

I hastily pressed three, I knew the recording well enough.

"This is Lizbet, can I help you?"

"Hi Lizbet, it's Sookie, may I speak with Eric?"

"The master isn't here. Can I help you with anything else?"

I thought for a moment, _well I guess I'd have to speak with Pam then_.

"May I speak with Pam?"

"Sorry miss, Pam isn't here either." _Convenient! _

It seemed early for either one of them to be at my house in Bon Temps; I wondered where they were.

"Miss?" Lizbet questioned, picking up on my silence.

"Yes Lizbet?"

"Clancy is here, would you like me to get him?"

_No! Ugh, _"Okay." _Why did it have to be Clancy?_

"Hello Miss Stackhouse, got yourself into some kind of trouble?" he asked expectantly.

"No Clancy," I replied wryly.

"Well, that's nice… Tonight is my night to look after you, I'd rather not have to deal with any _more_ trouble."

_Tonight was his night? Well that means Pam and Eric weren't out looking for me…_

I sighed exasperated. "Please tell Eric I'm with Claudine and I don't need any looking after this evening, He'll know what that means."

"Well, thank you Miss Stackhouse for choosing tonight to disobey and anger Eric. You know, I'll have to clear this with him first…" He said in a less than friendly way, but I guess that was just Clancy.

"Okay…" I said attempting to hold back any aggression. I was trying to be kind knowing it must be difficult having been nearly drained by witches.

"But if you're right and it is okay, thanks for the night off…" He replied with a snicker.

_Was he being serious? _

"Perhaps you could be otherwise protected every Tuesday night?" he suggested.

"I'll see what I can do," I said. At that moment, I truly meant it; I'd rather not rely on Clancy for anything.

Remembering my manners, I went to say "Goodbye" but found that he had already hung up. I wasn't surprised.

.

Joining Claudine in the living room, we focused our attention on my telepathy. We had to be in direct contact for me to get any feel of her thoughts. I wondered how helpful my telepathy was going to be if I had to be joined with the enemy to read them.

She must have caught me frowning because she said; "Training will make you much stronger as a telepath. Soon, you might not need to rely on physical contact to elicit the thoughts of others clearly."

It was kind of her to use the word 'others.' She knew I was able to read humans and shifters from a distance, but didn't want to sour the night by bringing up our potential enemies.

It's a shame my mind was doing enough of that for both of us. Trying to ease my worries, I shut out everything else and focused on Claudine and her thoughts.

They were mostly light and nonthreatening; although I could tell she attached urgency to some that wasn't present amongst others.

It was easiest to pick up thoughts that pertained directly to me. _Good, that's self-preservation at work!_

It was a bit more difficult when she assigned a more complex ranking scheme to her thoughts, but after an hour or so I was sorting through it with a bit more ease.

I relaxed for a moment, letting my hands slide off of hers and drop into my lap.

"Are all supernatural beings capable of such complexity?" I asked

"Yes, to different extents of course… Anyone you would be dealing with would be quite organized." She tried to lighten the mood with a sincere smile.

I appreciated her honesty, however terrifying. I'd rather be prepared than coddled.

"I…" I started, but was interrupted by my cell phone beeping from my bag. "Just a minute…"

I looked at the screen. _Eric. It's a text message from Eric. Why doesn't he just call? _

**Lover, why did you not call my cell phone? **

**- E **

_Cryptic… but I guess he is referring to when I called Fangtasia to speak with Clancy, but I could ask him the same question! _Not wanting to tell him that I was afraid it was too personal to assume I could call him on his cell phone… I texted back,

**And why don't you call me? **

**-Sookie**

I reconsidered it as soon as I pressed send; I hoped it didn't sound needy. I was trying my best to be snarky and _not_ show how much I wanted him.

Just as I was debating on whether or not to send another text message to clarify what I meant, my phone rang in my hands and I jumped up off the couch startled.

Claudine gave me a knowing look and nodded toward the door. I excused myself again. I was embarrassed that this was taking away from our time together.

Answering the phone, I wasn't even able to get out a "Hello Eric."

"Hel…."

"I've been otherwise detained," He stated interrupting my greeting.

Still not allowing me to get a word in, he continued, "The King has been alerted of your absence. You should expect us shortly."

"No!" I screeched. "Not here. You can't bring vampires to my cousins' house. You know better."

"Trust me Sookie, this is not my doing," He said under his breath.

I wondered if there were others listening to what he was saying. I couldn't let Felipe de Castro find me here. I couldn't risk letting someone so important in the vampire world in on my secret.

"Eric, how much time do I have?"

"Not much," he replied grimly.

My brain was going a million miles an hour.

"Please, can you give me twenty minutes? I have to find somewhere else to go and I'll need to change my clothes."

"I'll try…" he said softly before hanging up.

I devised a quick plan in my mind, there wasn't much I could think of in such a short time, but it had to be good enough. I rushed through the house and gathered my things telling Claudine what I knew (which wasn't much) as I went.

"The vampire King of Nevada, Arkansas, and Louisiana has you being watched?" She asked.

"Yes, look I don't really know why. Eric and I haven't properly discussed it yet."

"All right..." She sounded dubious.

She refrained from hugging me at my request. I told her I'd be back later and warned her not to pop to my aide because it would be very dangerous for her. I didn't know how many vampires would be with them. I took one of my shopping bags with me and changed quickly in the car. I dumped the bag full of my previous outfit on Claudine's porch and drove away as fast as I could.

.

I was heading towards a shopping centre in Monroe when they caught up with me. I let them follow me for a few minutes until we reached the grocery store. Pulling into the parking lot, I mustered up as much confidence as possible, and exited the car walking toward two cars which contained Eric, Felipe de Castro, Clancy, Pam, and three other vampires I hadn't met before.

"Doing some late night grocery shopping?" I joked casually as they joined me in the parking lot.

Pam smiled at me, Eric regarded me cautiously, Clancy shifted nervously, and the unknown vampires remained stoic behind the king. An odd smile crept across the king's face…

He started laughing, sincerely laughing.

His smile was positively radiant as he asked, "Charming girl, may I ask what you are doing so far from your home this evening without an escort?"

I wondered if I was supposed to be aware there were vampires 'escorting' me. Until Pam told me what was going on – I really had no clue besides a vague feeling that I was being watched at night.

"Oh, just spending the night with a friend in Monroe. Decided to come out and get some ice cream and snacks for the night – nothing better than a girl's night in…"

Feeling awkward in his presence, I was rambling. If it had just been Eric, I would have been flying off the handle with accusations, telling him he had no right to follow me or know my business… but I stayed silent when Felipe moved closer toward me.

"I see," he said pausing to contemplate everything I had just said.

Looking between Eric and Pam, I noticed neither of them looked particularly happy and they weren't giving anything away. I had to maneuver this one on my own.

Felipe continued thoughtfully, "I can understand your desire to spend time with your friends, but as you know our protection is not something we give irresponsibly. To ensure your safety, certain measures needed to be taken."

_As I know? No sorry __**your highness**__, I had no idea._

"With all due respect, your highness, I feel that between Eric, the other vampires of Area 5, and the Shreveport Weres, I am very well protected."

To his credit, he took in each word I said and appeared to seriously consider my words before he spoke again, "I am quite displeased with how long it took Mr. Northman to locate you this evening."

Eric looked at me bleakly. I knew this wasn't Eric's fault, I told him to hold off… I watched as he looked at Clancy scathingly… I actually felt bad for Clancy.

"It won't happen again," Eric stated firmly.

I was glad he had something to say, because I was running out of ideas. I didn't care for his tone, but I knew we could discuss it in private later.

"She is stubborn your highness, it will take some time for her to adjust to her new situation," Eric continued.

_What! What situation? What in the world is he talking about?_

Felipe was grinning again as he took the last two steps toward me to reach out for my hand.

I was starting to become impatient. I wanted someone to tell me what was going on and I wanted to hear it soon.

I let Felipe take my hand because quite frankly, I didn't know what else to do.

"Yes, I see that," he said acknowledging what Eric just told him. He looked into my frosty eyes and glanced down at my mouth, which was set in a straight line.

"Delightful," was what he said when he kissed my hand. His lips lingered against my knuckles for a moment, and then he took two steps backward and let my hand fall once more.

"We will leave it as it is for now," he concluded quite pleased with himself. "Pam, you will stay here with her tonight but please try not to disturb her evening. I will see you back at Fangtasia before dawn."

Pam nodded respectfully. I didn't even need to look to Eric to know he was unhappy – I could feel it.

Smiling once again, Felipe nodded in my direction. I nodded back, confused but accepting… momentarily of course.

"Good evening Miss Stackhouse, we will meet again soon."

"Good evening?" I whispered breathlessly as they got back into their cars and took their leave.

.

"Pam, you know you can't stay right?"

"I am under orders."

"Pam, please. I'm with Claudine tonight."

She smiled at me devilishly. I'm surprised she didn't lick her lips.

"I know," she said demurely.

I huffed. Of all things, Pam was not modest.

"I'll sit outside in the car with the windows up," she offered.

I knew she was being far too complacent but I didn't bother questioning her. "Okay," I said sternly. "You don't get out of the car for anything."

She looked like she was stifling a laugh as I told her what she would be doing that night.

I glared at her.

"You have my word," she said in a bored tone.

"Good, let's go."

"The ice cream?" she questioned.

_Right. I wasn't even in the mood, but if I said I was out buying ice cream… I'd have to. _

.

.

Leaving Pam in my car outside Claudine's house, I parked as far from the house as possible without it seeming odd. As I walked up to the house and picked up the bag of clothes I had dumped earlier, I wondered if I had made the right decision bringing Pam here.

Feeling comfortable enough to let myself in (the door was unlocked), I walked back into the living room. I found Claudine sitting on the couch rubbing her hands over her knees nervously.

"Hey," I said barely above a whisper.

"Hey," she said back.

"Umm… I don't know how comfortable you are going to be with this, but Pam, Eric's second is outside in my car."

She laughed. I felt tension leaving my body as her laughter filled the room.

"Vampires are quick, but fairies are much much faster." She winked.

"and of course we have the ability to leave this realm when we are in danger..." She paused. "You shouldn't worry about Claude and I, this house is _very_ safe."

Her emphasis on the word very had me intrigued, but I didn't think to question her further on the subject. Happy to trust her, I left it alone.

.

.

I told her about what happen in the parking lot, but honestly she seemed more concerned about the flavors of ice cream I picked. I couldn't tell if this was genuine or if she was putting on a bit of an act for my benefit. It sure was convincing if she was.

Giving her a skeptical look, I let her take my hand as she smiled and led me to the kitchen. She dug out all of her favorite ice cream accoutrements; I was quite impressed with the selection. She even had waffle cone bowls. I found myself excited by the prospect of ice cream. _Although, it truly doesn't take much… _

We made quite a mess as we piled ice cream in the bowls and covered it with toppings, but it was fun and I was glad to be enjoying my evening once again.

We sat at the table once again and chatted while we ate our ice cream.

.

.

Claude entered the kitchen in all his glory a little after 2:30am.

"You know there is a vampire outside in your car?" he asked me.

"Yep."

"Okay." He paused, but only for a minute. "We are we having ice cream?" He smirked.

"Hours ago," Claudine said with a laugh.

Claude moved to the refrigerator and took all of the fixings back out. He scooped out a spoonful of ice cream before he got a bowl out of the cupboard. "mmm…" he mumbled. "Why don't you two tell me what you have already done so we can get this over with and I can get some much needed sleep."

"Thanks Claude," I said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Anytime Sookie," he replied cheerfully as he sat down at the table _seemingly_ more interested in the ice cream.

I looked over at Claudine and watched her roll her eyes playfully.

She started the conversation about my progress and I added a few things along the way. We discussed what we should do next… until Claude became distracted when he was putting the ice cream toppings back in the fridge.

"You went to see Giuseppe!" he cried out.

"Yes, I took Sookie there for lunch and we took some pasta home to have for dinner."

Rather quickly she added, "There is plenty of extra salad and pasta, you know how Giuseppe always gives us too much."

He looked dissatisfied; he wasn't pleased to be an afterthought.

Claudine smiled, "He sent along some cannoli, I didn't even order them. He must have remembered how much you like them. We were waiting for you to get home before we had them."

I didn't believe what she was saying, but I didn't interfere. She had much more experience handling Claude.

He didn't exactly look pleased, but he pulled the box out of the refrigerator and _sort of_ smiled.

To my surprise, he offered me one from the box before he sat back down. They looked truly delicious, but I really didn't know if I could eat it after all of that ice cream a few hours ago; I had outdone myself.

Curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to take Claude up on any hospitality he was willing to offer. Claudine also had one; Claude had three.

_Where was he putting them? _I looked at him incredulously.

"Sweet tooth," was all he said with a smile.

I considered what he said, and thought I could have probably had another as well. Laughing, I thought _Sweet tooth huh? Must run in the family… I'll have to be careful with what I eat with these two. They obviously don't have a human metabolism. I wish I had gotten that gene! _

.

When Claude was finished, he began discussing the exercises he had devised. He was talking animatedly about his cleverness, as we walked into the living room until… he saw the shopping bags scattered on the floor.

"I see shopping bags! You know what that means."

"No?" I looked toward Claudine who flashed me a quick smile.

"Let's see the goods!" he said enthusiastically.

No one moved fast enough for him apparently.

"Claudine?" he questioned impatiently.

She snapped her fingers and changed into one of her new outfits. He motioned for her to twirl around. He nodded approvingly.

"Sookie?" he asked.

_Oh no. I can't just change like Claudine did. _

I walked toward my bags sheepishly planning to take them to the bathroom to change when I noticed Claude snapping his fingers.

_Would he be trying on our outfits as well? _

I looked toward Claudine to find out… _Nope!_ She looked at me curiously and I looked down to find I was only in my underwear. Before I had a chance to move my arms to cover up, Claude snapped again and I was wearing one of my new sundresses.

"Not bad…" he said "but let's see the next one!"

"I **don't** think so!" I wrapped my arms around me firmly pressing the dress against my body.

He looked amused. We both knew there wasn't much my arms could stop him from doing.

"I'll just change into the next outfit in the bathroom," I said firmly.

"Sure, if you want?" He laughed and looked toward Claudine as if to imply "humans!"

.

After the 'fashion show' was concluded, we worked through the exercises Claude had prepared. It took a little over two hours and I was exhausted by the end. It was much more difficult reading the two of them at the same time, but I was starting to feel comfortable with it toward the end. Well, as comfortable as one can feel listening to the evil thoughts of one's cousin…

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TBC… of course. Thanks so much for reading! :D


	14. I Like Your Photographs

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun

Thanks for all the notes of encouragement, it's the best part of writing this and it keeps me from being lazy and not writing! lol :D

* * *

**After the 'fashion show' was concluded, we worked through the exercises Claude had prepared. It took a little over two hours and I was exhausted by the end. It was much more difficult reading the two of them at the same time, but I was starting to feel comfortable with it toward the end. Well, as comfortable as one can feel listening to the evil thoughts of one's cousin…

* * *

**

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Wednesday

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The bed I woke up in was too warm and comfortable to want to leave. Sunlight was pouring through the curtains warming my face and I knew it was time; nevertheless I rolled myself away from the light and squeezed my eyes shut.

_No, no, no… I want to sleep. This bed is so cozy and I've never felt blankets this soft. Please just another half an hour… _I thought.

.

Part of my mind was starting to swirl with activity while another part protested vehemently. Unfortunately I only lasted another five or ten more minutes... thinking won out. There was too much to process from the night before and my head transformed from a calm slumberland to a pit of vicious throbbing.

.

Sauntering into the adjacent bathroom, I turned the shower on haphazardly and leaned against the wall waiting for the water to heat up. My eyes took in my surroundings as I waited.

The bathroom off of the guest room was small but very classy. The walls were muted lavender and there was one small round window too high to see out of on the right wall. The sink was a delicate glass bowl nestled on top of a sturdy birch cabinet. The faucet, which was located on the wall, had an antique silver finish, which matched the drain in the sink. This was one of the key indicators that it was in fact a sink; I had never seen anything like it before.

The shower took up the majority of the room, not only because the room was small – the shower itself was massive. _Eric would certainly approve, _I thought as blood coursed rapidly through my body flushing me all over.

.

.

Combing out my hair after my blissful shower, I took note of the artwork framed on the walls – mostly photographs, similar to the ones in the other bathroom in style, and a few small botanical sketches.

.

Upon closer inspection, I wondered what it was about these photographs that reminded me of the ones in the downstairs bathroom? There must have been something coherent for me to draw that conclusion, however immediate it may have been. I couldn't place my finger on it, but something made me trust my first instinct.

The photographs were a mixture of distance and close range shots of flowers and fields. There was something airy and pastel about them that left me wondering if the effect was natural or slightly doctored. The images in the 'Hooligans' inspired bathroom, as I thought of it, were bold - the colors and hues stood out in shocking contrast to the pale walls, whereas these melted softly against the painted walls allowing them to be less noticeable, although just as lovely.

Noises from my stomach startled me from my thought process. Hungrily, I rushed into the bedroom to get dressed before making my way to the kitchen.

.

Claudine was the picture of beauty, sitting elegantly at the kitchen table with an inkwell and quill writing what appeared to be a letter. It warmed my heart to see her utilizing such an antique form of communication.

I must have been staring because Claudine was smiling at me patiently when I heard her ask me if I would like some breakfast.

Accepting graciously, I moved toward the counter with the basket of muffins she pointed out.

"There is yogurt in the refrigerator too and some fruit here on the table," she said kindly.

"Thanks Claudine, everything looks lovely. Did you make these?" I asked.

"I picked them up this morning when I went for a walk. There is a really great bakery a few miles from here."

_That was perhaps more ambitious than even baking them yourself…_ _She is definitely a morning person, _I thought with a slight twinge of jealousy over how incredible she looked first thing in the morning.

Looking through the basket at the muffins I found my choice was going to be difficult; she had purchased several different kinds and they all looked and smelled amazing. I contemplated closing my eyes to choose.

"Feel free to grab half of a few different kinds of muffin if you want," Claudine sung out sweetly sensing my poor muffin decision-making skills.

I looked over my shoulder to smile and say thanks.

"I make a sort of bread pudding with the leftovers," she said as she smiled.

Choosing the top of one that looked to be apple cinnamon, the bottom of a blueberry, and an entire strawberry muffin I sat down at the table to eat.

"I see you didn't take any of the chocolate chip, good move," Claudine said.

I laughed, "I think we had enough chocolate last night!"

"Claude will certainly disagree, but will be glad we didn't want them" she said jokingly as she offered me a glass and juice.

"He isn't awake yet?" I inquired.

"No, I won't see Claude until 1 or 2pm, he is a late sleeper." She shrugged to indicate she couldn't comprehend why anyone would want to sleep passed dawn.

"Wow, they are still warm," I said as I watched the butter I spread on the blueberry muffin half melt.

"He doesn't know what he is missing," I asserted after my first bite.

"They will still be warm when he wakes," she said with a wink.

She folded the parchment in front of her and set the quill down.

"Sorry, did I interrupt you?" I asked.

"Oh, no of course not. I was writing to Callum. I let him know you're awake, so don't worry he isn't waiting for me to reply."

I was puzzled.

"It is kind of like text messaging," she offered.

"Oh." I paused to take another bite of muffin. "Have you seen him recently?"

"No, it has been nearly a week. He has been quite busy in his area with his charges. Many people rely on him." She had her wistful face on again.

I knew how she felt. And then it sunk in – _I'm one of Claudine's 'charges' maybe I am one of the reasons they have been kept apart?_

"Claudine, is it because you are helping me that you haven't been able to see him?"

"Oh no, of course not!" she blurted out as she reached for my hands. "I love spending time with you, I was so pleased when Niall said we could become friends. We are not often allowed to be close with our charges, but since we are family, he reconsidered. I think he knows how much I've missed having another girl around."

As she spoke, I picked up on the exact same feelings coming through her mind – warmth and happiness toward me and Niall with regard to our friendship, slight annoyance at living with Claude without a mediator, and a deep sadness over the loss of Claudia.

I also found some sexual thoughts, which must have lingered from her earlier note writing. I wiggled in my seat when I was sorting through the thoughts and realized what I had listened in on.

Laughing, she let my hands go and leaned over to give me a hug.

"I didn't allow myself to prepare," she apologized.

"It's okay," I said, my blush fading as we both giggled together.

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After finishing breakfast, I insisted Claudine let me wash the dishes. She claimed to have an easier way to do it but I wouldn't hear of it; truthfully I was enjoying our conversation too much to want to leave.

"Where did you get the photographs in the bathrooms?" I mused as I scrubbed one of the little floral juice glasses.

"Noticed them, did you?"

_How could anyone not?_ "Have you and Claude been to all of those places?"

"We've been to many of them; the photographs have inspired many of our travels. But to answer your first question, a friend of mine who owns a pub here in Monroe took them and has begrudgingly sold us a few over the years."

"They own a pub?" I asked incredulously.

She laughed, "Yes, _he_ does. They serve excellent food, I'll take you there sometime."

"There are more than a few photographs…" I began.

She nodded.

"You must be very persuasive."

"Yes, indeed," she confirmed with a wink.

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Gathering up my overnight suitcase and shopping bags, Claudine and I walked out to the car. We piled the bags on the back seat and embraced in a hug. Working out the next free day we both had, we made plans to have lunch and go shopping again.

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I called Sam on my way home to see if he needed any extra help that evening - I wanted to earn some extra money so I could afford to go shopping with Claudine. He said he wasn't too sure… Wednesday could swing either way, busy or slow.

Of course I knew as much, and agreed when Sam asked if I wouldn't mind a phone call later on for help if it was needed.

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The phone rang at 5:30.

"Hey Sookie, it's Sam. Would you mind coming in from 6 to 10… maybe 10:30?"

"Sure, not a problem Sam. Thanks for thinking of me."

"Don't mention it," he said sweetly.

"See you soon!"

"See ya Sook."

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Rushing around the house, I grabbed something to eat, dug a Merlotte's t-shirt out of the dryer, and tied my hair up in a tight ponytail before leaving. I left a note on the refrigerator for Amelia and Octavia and preferring not to have a repeat of the previous night, sent a text message to Eric.

**At Merlotte's tonight 6-10/10:30. Take Care, Sookie**

I read it over several times before pressing send. _Right, well that should do… straight to the point and it's neither friendly nor unfriendly._

Eric and I were towing the line between love and hate and I had composed several messages in my head before deciding on the utilitarian message I ended up sending.

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By 10pm, Merlotte's was mostly clear of dinner patrons and had settled down. Saying my goodbyes to the other waitresses, I walked back to the office to gather my things. It had been a busy night at the bar and I was thankful for the hefty pocketful of tips I made. I was sure to thank Sam again before I left.

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Turning on my cell phone as I walked to my car, I wasn't surprised to see a text message from Eric.

**Any surprises tonight lover? **

**No, going home now. Thanks. **I wrote back**.**

**No ice cream related excursions planned?** He texted back immediately.

_Argh, how did he write that so fast? _I wondered. My fingers stumbled over the number keys as I unlocked my car and sat inside finishing up my message.

**Not tonight. Just going home. **

It took all of my will power not to ask him where _he_ was and what _he_ was doing this evening. I was certainly curious, but I wasn't about to give him any indication.

Closing my phone, I did exactly what I said I was going to do – go home. Although part of me was sorely tempted to do anything but.

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"Hey,"I called out when I entered the hallway of my house; I could hear the television set was on.

"Hey Sooks," Amelia called back from the living room.

"Whatcha watc…" I asked as I turned the corner into the living room "Oh, Hey Pam" I finished when I noticed her sitting in an armchair.

"Hello Sookie," she said looking up from her embroidery work to smile at me.

"Not with Eric at Fangtasia tonight?" I questioned.

"Who says Eric is at Fangtasia tonight?" she quipped back.

"Uhh…" I stammered.

"Why you know, he could be anywhere… he does fly after all," she teased.

I looked around nervously to see if he was hidden nearby waiting for my reaction.

"He isn't here," she laughed.

Not allowing my initial disappointment to show, I pursed my lips and assumed my best 'quit fooling with me or else' stance. Unfortunately, it wasn't working on Pam. She chuckled jovially at my attempt at indignation.

"Pam…" I said directly, "_someone_ owes me an explanation as to why you are here watching me."

She smiled and opened her mouth as if she was going to say something.

I cut her off, "and I don't want to hear it's because Felipe ordered it."

She smirked at me as if to suggest 'my aren't you clever?'

"I deserve a better reason than that, the truth preferably. Oh, and how fortunate for Eric that he can choose to go off and do whatever he wants with his evenings when my whereabouts are continually monitored by vampires." I huffed to catch my breath after my little speech.

"What?" asked Amelia looking between Pam and myself curiously.

Shooting her a quick look that said 'I'll fill you in later', I looked expectantly back toward Pam.

"You wish that _someone_ to be Eric?" she questioned with a sickeningly sweet smile.

Yes, of course I did; she knew it too.

"No, _anyone_ with the truth will do," I lied.

With her sugary smile still plastered across her face, she responded, "I suggest you change before we go to Fangtasia."

"Right. So Eric is at Fangtasia after all?"

"Maybe…" she said, but the look on her face told me she knew.

"I hear Felipe has been using Eric's office to sort through Area 5 business," she stated casually.

I'm sure she knew if there was any truth behind that statement as well. I could feel my temper flaring up.

"Why don't you take a shower and I'll find something pretty for you to wear," Pam said feigning kindness.

It's not that I believe Pam isn't ever kind, but she knew she was getting the better of me at the moment and was thoroughly enjoying my misery. Knowing I owed her for keeping my secret and for pretty much bailing me out last night, against my better judgment I nodded firmly in her direction.

Jumping up out of the armchair, she all but squealed with delight at my compliance. Settling down her embroidery hoop at a slower speed, she walked with me to my bedroom to sort through my clothing. Amelia followed. Not having the heart to stop her, I led them both into my room. Pointing to the dresser and set of drawers, I left them to it as I walked into the bathroom to shower.

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Sensing the never-ending slew of questions bubbling away in Amelia's mind, I prayed she would pester Pam with them; I took my sweet time in the shower.

They were both silent when I came out of the bathroom but the looks on their faces told me that hadn't been the case for very long.

I confirmed with Amelia the tiny bit I knew about my situation – vampires had been watching our house since Felipe's protection was given. She didn't look at all concerned as she did my makeup and reminded me about the wards on the house and how successful they had been in the past.

I tried to explain to her that it wasn't being safe at home that bothered me; it was having this organized without my permission _and_ being followed that frustrated me. I may have actually used the word stalked, which was a slight exaggeration, but only slight.

Pam was sorting through my hair doodads box for bobby pins when I noticed she was relatively absent from the conversation.

Pinning curls up at the back and strategically letting some fall, she tried several hairstyles before reaching for the hairspray.

"Is there a reason you are dolling me up just to go to Fangtasia?" I asked.

"You never know whom you might bump in to tonight," she countered with a wicked smile.

"I think I know how Eric feels when you use me as ammunition to tease him," I muttered.

"Sookie, you two do it to yourselves," she said with a chuckle.

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When she was sure my hair was set, she helped me ease into a silk crimson dress – one of my recent purchases from shopping with Claudine. Pam must have gone through the bags in the hallway.

Truthfully, I was thinking of Eric when I purchased it, and not only because of the color. The way the dress playfully flitted against the tops of my thighs when I moved felt vaguely reminiscent of his long hair.

I could only hope that he would be the one seeing me in this dress tonight.


	15. Sparks at Fangtasia

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thanks for reading and reviewing! Less than a week until Dead and Gone!! Although mine is a pre-order from the US so it will take longer to get here :(

If there is interest, I'll keep writing after DAG comes out. There will be another whole year to entertain myself waiting for the next one… lol

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**Truthfully, I was thinking of Eric when I purchased it. The way the dress playfully flitted against the tops of my thighs when I moved felt vaguely reminiscent of his long hair. **

**I could only hope that he would be the one seeing me in this dress tonight.**

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**  
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Every nerve ending in my body was fully alert on our drive to Fangtasia. I felt every bump, swerve, and jostle acutely. Clenching my jaw, I tried to make as little contact with the seat and car door as possible; even the contact of my fingers against each other was enough to send me reeling.

Wishing I had worn anything else, I didn't move to fix my dress as it drifted up my thighs; I couldn't bear to.

I noticed Pam staring at me when her eyes should have been fixed straight ahead.

"Pam!" I shouted breaking the silence.

Her eyes darted nervously back to the road and my body relaxed slightly. Waves of nausea overtook me as my stomach lurched with the sudden release of tension from my body.

Refocusing my eyes on the wood grain dashboard, I shut my mind down and my body tensed once again. I gagged as bile made its way sluggishly up my throat.

Pam reached out for my thigh, appeared to reconsider, and grasped my hand instead. Recoiling violently, I was thankful Pam's grip wasn't too firm. She reached out to touch me again.

"Sookie, snap out of it," she said with a hint of concern in her voice.

My eyes went wide as she stroked my hand absently. Against the heat raging under my skin, her cool fingers were soothing. My anxiety was slowly subsiding under her calming touch.

"We will be there soon," she said smoothly, the words rolling reassuringly off her tongue like silk.

She continued to stroke my hand delicately for the remainder of the trip, only removing her hand when she had to make a sharp turn to pull into the parking lot at Fangtasia.

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She was at my door before I could register that she had moved. Swiftly smoothing my dress back down over my thighs, she helped me exit the car with my dignity in tact.

Taking my hand, she guided me through the parking lot where we entered Fangtasia through the front door. It seemed vaguely unusual for us to be using this entrance as apposed to the staff entrance, but I didn't question her.

I watched her face transform from motherly to indifferent we entered the club. Following her line of sight, my eyes met with… Eric.

My feet started moving in his direction until I stopped. It was as if I hit a brick wall, my left arm was fully extended behind me toward Pam, she was still holding my hand. I shook it willfully, but she refused to let go.

"You lied," she said softly, "You do want to talk with Eric."

"No," I said sharply, "You're the one who brought me here."

"I was serious," she started, and then lowering her voice she continued, "the king _is_ in Eric's office. Whom would you prefer to speak with?" she said with a small smile.

There was no doubt in my mind, I wanted to march straight up to Eric and… do anything but talk, I desperately didn't want to talk. I couldn't start the conversation that would end with me knowing that there was no way I could ever untangle myself from vampire politics. The queasiness was welling up inside me once more. _But I was here, what else could I do?_

Thinking Eric slightly more favorable due to the possibility of _diversion_ if the discussion became too overwhelming, I admitted quietly, "Eric."

"If you wish," said Pam who was holding back a smile.

Dropping my hand, she walked off toward the bar, leaving me alone to make the journey across the bar to Eric - because you know he wasn't making any effort to come to me.

His smug grin and his wandering eyes shattered his attempt at aloofness. The walk toward the dais was torturously slow - all I could feel was his eyes scanning the length of my body. He paused in amusement at the hem of my dress, taking in its varying position as it danced across my thighs.

Taking his time, he averted his eyes and scanned the rest of the club to direct his attentions elsewhere.

The soaring confidence I had only seconds before dropped when he broke eye contact. I lowered my gaze but didn't allow myself to falter. Ignoring the sudden desire to smooth the dress down and pull it firmly to my knees, I maneuvered my path around a table full of patrons, temporarily obstructing his view – that is if he was watching me.

Observing his neck crane slightly to search me out through the crowd, I felt extremely satisfied; my confidence surged. I watched him as his interest shifted from my legs to the bust line of my dress - the intense cool stare setting my body furiously alight with heat.

I will never understand how someone with such a low body temperature could elicit such a fire within me, but at that moment I wasn't fighting it. It was exhilarating to be in his presence.

His eyes met with mine in earnest when I was only a few feet away. He nodded slightly in approval of my action and if I didn't know any better I would think he was baiting me. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Drawing on my best hostess smile, I grinned sweetly and took the hand he offered. The struggle inside me was overwhelming, my stomach was doing somersaults – partly due to the strong passion I felt for Eric and partially as a result of lingering terror.

_What would the change in power mean for me? Just because I hadn't been called upon in the past few months doesn't mean they won't require my services in the future. Is this protection being offered simply because I saved the king's life or did he expect something in return? I am not used to vampires doing things out of the kindness of their heart – at least not when they are in their right mind…_

"What a treat it is to see you this evening lover, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Eric crooned.

"I think you know."

He smirked. "I do?"

"Eric, please."

"Not here," he said matter of factly, adding a mischievous grin when I sighed in relief. I was beginning to wonder if he thought I was begging for something else.

He roared with laughter when he caught a glimpse of panic streak my face. This drew the attention of the entire club, which didn't seem to faze him. Tucking his finger under my chin, he lifted my face up gently to his.

"Do you not wish to be alone with me?" he asked seductively.

"Eric… I…"

"Do you not desire the feeling of my lips and tongue against…" he paused, watching me intently "…yours as much as I do?"

My knees were turning to jelly; I started to sway.

"Eric," I croaked out, barely audible.

His other hand reached for my hair, his fingers tangling through the curls – the pins, which were holding it in place, fell uselessly to the floor.

I stared at him helplessly as he moved the hand under my chin around my waist possessively and drew me closer to him. I was pressed firmly against his side, his hard muscular thigh between my legs creating friction between my dress and most sensitive area, my nipples hardening at the feel of his cool chest.

Feeling my body buzz in anticipation, I parted my lips and closed my eyes softly. A moan escaped my mouth as I leaned backward into his strong arm arching myself against his leg.

A deep growl emanated from his chest, and his words jolted me from my state, "Felipe…" he started coldly, "is there something I can assist you with?"

Eric adjusted us so that we were still in close contact, though I was no longer straddling his leg.

_Pity... Oh my goodness, did I just think that? What has come over me? _

I blushed ten shades of red.

"Not at the moment," Felipe stated dismissively as his eyes focused hungrily on my rosy cheeks. "I came out to get something to drink… I see that you have staked claim to the most appealing option."

He had the audacity to smile warmly as if he had given me a sincere compliment.

"Yes your highness, I have" Eric declared, his emotions guarded.

Satisfied that he had put Eric in his place, Felipe turned his attentions toward me.

"It is truly enchanting to see you again so soon Miss Stackhouse. I wasn't aware you would be visiting us this evening, but I am delighted. Would you care to share a drink in my office?" He offered his arm; it was phrased as a question, but I was starting to feel it wasn't intended as one.

I spared a glance toward Eric searching for signs of direction. His face was devoid of expression. He let his grip on me slacken, panic welled up inside me. _Don't let me go Eric, please. Hold me tighter. Kiss me. Take me right here if you have to… Please just do something! … anything?_

My anger mounting at his lack of intervention, I removed myself from his weakened grasp and took Felipe's arm.

Felipe placed his cool right hand on top of mine, which was resting on his forearm, and I jumped at the contact. He chuckled sympathetically and ran his fingers soothingly against my arm, then nodded in Felicia's direction; neither of us turned to look back at Eric.

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Settling me into a chair in front of Eric's desk, Felipe kissed my hand lightly before taking his position behind the desk. Very little in the room remained of Eric; I could see Pam had been right when she said Felipe had been using Fangtasia as a base of operation.

A waitress brought our drinks in – a True Blood for Felipe, which eased my fears slightly, and a gin and tonic for me. She left again just as quickly as she entered, shutting the door securely behind her. Hearing the door click shut, I instinctively took a sip of my drink and started plotting my escape.

"As lovely as it is to see you my dear, I can not help finding myself curious as to why you are here."

I was so busy strategizing on how to make my exit, that I had no recourse but to tell him the truth – it was the first thing that came to me and taking time to plan out my answer would have looked suspicious.

"I need to know why I am under surveillance," I blurted out.

"I see," he said.

"I don't think it is necessary, it is an invasion of my privacy."

One of his eyebrows rose in reaction and there was a whisper of a smile on his face as he spoke, "Do you have something you need to keep secret from us?"

"My entire life!" I spouted before thinking clearly, "I have friends and family, and… a personal life. How can I explain your presence to these people?"

He didn't appear startled by my outburst. He leaned forward in his seat, placing his arms casually upon the desk.

"I wouldn't expect it to be a problem for you. The nights you are with Eric, you will not require another guard. On other nights, whomever is on duty will do their best to stay out of your way. You are a valuable… person, Miss Stackhouse, and I owe you my life. You must understand, I will not risk having anything happen to you."

"What do you mean 'on nights I am with Eric', is he one of my 'guards' now? Pam told me he wasn't on the schedule."

"Miss Stackhouse…" he cleared his throat, "I was not referring to any schedule, I was talking about your 'personal life' as you so charmingly put it."

"What?" I questioned.

I saw interest flicker in his eyes.

"Are you not involved with Mr. Northman?"

_Wasn't that the question everyone wanted the answer to – most significantly me. It is true, I have strong feelings for him although I am not sure if they are genuine or as a result of the bond we share. I am certain I would easily grow to love Eric given time that is if he would let me. But there is no way I am going to tell him, or Felipe, any of this. Not now… perhaps not ever, _I thought dismally.

That didn't help me. I didn't know how to answer his question. Surely, Felipe would have noticed it had been months since Eric had shown any true interest in me.

"We are bonded, yes. But I believe it was a necessity at the time. I am not sure he wants me… if he does, he hasn't shown it recently" I admitted sorely.

Although this wasn't entirely true. He had certainly shown me affection just moments earlier, and the feelings he stirred up when he took me home the other evening surely weren't felt only by me. That night, he displayed a part of himself I hadn't seen since he was cursed. It overwhelmed me at the time and I ran from him. _It wasn't fair…_ _he couldn't just tell me that he had looked up pecans on the Internet. What was I supposed to do? What did he want from me? _

Felipe walked around the desk, sat against the edge, and leaned forward ready to brush away the tears, which were threatening to spill down my cheeks. Blinking my eyes to let them fall, I relaxed my cheek into his hand. I was a bundle of conflicting emotions, and the tenderness he was showing me put me at ease.

Stroking my cheek, he reached for my hand and helped me steady myself until I was standing on my own. His warm chocolate eyes flickered with concern, and I felt guilt for crying over Eric in his presence.

"Come, sweet girl, I think we are finished here for tonight, I'll take you home."

I let him take my hand and lead me out of the club to his black Bentley.

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He opened the passenger door for me, blocking anyone else's view while I entered gracefully – a rare feat in such a short dress and I was thankful he looked away as I did so. When he knew I was seated, he smiled at me and closed the door.

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As we drove to Bon Temps, I asked, "How is it you are able to travel alone? I don't remember Sophie Anne ever traveling without Andre by her side… and Siegbert and Wybert were often close by."

"Andre was Sophie Anne's closest confidant," he said smoothly glancing briefly in my direction. "Although I have had many years to search, I have yet to select a woman with whom to spend eternity and tell all of my most precious secrets. As it turns out, they are quite difficult to find and I make _none_ of my decisions lightly."

He smiled at me affectionately.

"As for the guards – a few months ago I would have told you Sophie Anne was being unreasonable. But, as you have seen, even a clever vampire can be caught off guard." His smile turned faintly grim in memory.

I nodded when he inclined his head in my direction to gauge my reaction.

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Some time passed before he spoke again.

"It will always be dangerous to be a vampire, I have come to accept that fact."

"And yet, you cannot accept the fact that it will always be dangerous for me?" I sighed.

"But you see my dear, it is our fault you are in danger. I made the choice to become a vampire, it is entirely different." He paused, "Additionally, the one responsible for my change has been gone for centuries. As a result, I have no one but myself to hold accountable for my choices, particularly the political ones I have made."

"I made a choice," I asserted.

"You were not given enough information to make a choice by. Had you known of Bill's association with Sophie Anne, you may not have decided to save his life that night."

I stifled my surprise at his knowledge of my past.

"Yes, Miss Stackhouse, I do know of your relationship with Bill. I know quite a few things about you in fact. For example, I know that you do not share my vampire sensibilities. If you could go back, knowing what you know now of his true intent, you would still save him… however undeserving he may be. Yet, there have been times where you have not been so merciful with my kind."

My mind flashed through the possible scenarios he could be referring to – _It is quite possible he knows about Lorena… but does he know about Andre as well? Does he know that I walked away and let Quinn kill him?_

"You are a true enigma," he concluded.

I shrugged. Luckily that had been my word of the day a few weeks ago.

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The silence was slightly uncomfortable and left me with too many bad memories to mull over. Deciding to lighten the conversation, I asked jokingly, "Rethinking not bringing any guards with you?"

He laughed heartily.

"If I didn't know better I would say you were reading my mind," he teased back.

_Too close to home – need to change the subject… _

"So, what does one have to do to ensure he is not on your bad side, Miss Stackhouse?"

"Threatening my friends in my home was not a good way to start," I replied honestly.

"Ah, yes. I apologize for Victor's method, it was important we secure Eric's loyalty. We weren't aware that you…"

Catching my not so subtle death stare he changed course.

"It is inexcusable, I hope you will accept my sincere apology," he continued simply.

I gave him a quick look that said 'I'll consider it' without having to actually say something so bold.

He grinned and I relaxed back into the seat. I found his smile oddly comforting.

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"This is the one?" Felipe asked indicating my driveway.

"Yes, your highness, it is."

"Miss Stackhouse, I believe we are past such formalities – please call me Felipe."

"You'll have to call me Sookie."

"It seems we have a deal then," he said cheerfully.

"Yup."

"If you don't mind, I'll stay for a few minutes and check around the house?"

"No, I don't mind. Would you like something to drink first?"

"No thank you Sookie, I won't be long. Victor informed me of the wards your friend placed on the house, I trust you will be safe inside."

"I can't always stay inside my house you know."

He frowned.

"I know, and it would be a true shame to deprive the world of your beauty in the moonlight. However, I trust that _tonight_ you will be safe inside… I observed you yawn a few times on our trip to your house. It may be presumptuous of me to assume these were not directed toward our conversation, but I do believe you will not be 'hitting up', as they say now-a-days, any more clubs this evening."

Walking me to the door, he took my hand and gave it his usual soft kiss – lingering long enough for me to feel affected, but not long enough to warrant concern.

"Good evening Sookie."

"Good evening Felipe."

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I walked in the kitchen quietly and poured myself a tall glass of milk. Since I already had the milk, I snuck a few cookies out of Amelia's container and sat at the table.

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Nearly twenty minutes later, I heard a knock at the door. Assuming it was Felipe coming to tell me that the house was secure before he left, I didn't bother looking through the peephole installed on the door – foresight on Eric's part. I should have gotten in the habit of using it.

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"Are you going to invite me inside?"

"No."

"May I ask why not?"

"I have work tomorrow, it's already quite late."

"But I bought ice cream…" he said playfully holding the grocery bag up so I could see the evidence.

"No thanks," I said as I started to close the door.

Wedging the bag in the opening between the door and the house, he teased, "Pam told me women couldn't resist this stuff, are you quite all right?"

I laughed. "I bet Pam has also told you women cannot resist _you_. Don't try and tell me that isn't what you are here about."

"Yes, she has said that," he asserted proudly.

"Alright, Eric, come inside… but just for the ice cream, understood? And please be quiet, other people do live here you know."

"I know," he said simply in his softest voice, not chancing anything else until I let him inside.

Opening the door wider, I moved aside to let him in. Picking me up, he shut the door quietly. He hovered a few inches above the floor and started carrying me down the hallway.

"So we don't wake anyone with our footsteps," he said.

I wasn't buying his concern; I snorted.

"Quiet lover, witches are sleeping."

"Right," I said mimicking his whisper. "Well take us into the kitchen then."

"Not the bedroom?" he said frowning.

"No Eric, who eats ice cream in their bedroom?"

"I don't know," he said thoughtfully, "Maybe you do?"

"Nice try," I said as he set me down in a chair at the kitchen table and placed the bag in front of me.

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A/N yay, so Eric was the first man (or male vampire in this case) ;) to 'see' her in the dress – although not the only.

Thoughts?


	16. Taking Comfort in Ice Cream and Vikings

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

_long_ note here in response to some reviews – skip down to the bold recap from last chapter if you don't want to read my longwinded (_sorry_!) views on Eric and Sookie.

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I just wanted to clarify where I'm going with my story - I took my cue from FTDW where I found Sookie ridiculously torn between loving and hating Eric. I think this has been played up in the books to make room for Bill - and I'm using it in a similar way.

I think the thing with Eric and Sookie is that neither of them is sure of their feelings and they are both too stubborn to sit down and hash this out together. It may be too soon for that anyhow. They both have lots to think about.

Sookie doesn't know whether it is just her body responding to him or if it's the blood bond - or perhaps something more, _something true_. I think it's still too soon since he has regained his memories and she doesn't know what to think. One minute he's trying to get in her pants, the next he is gone for months.

She is holding back waiting for Eric to make some 'grand gesture', but at the same time isn't really strong enough to deny him physically... (is there anyone out there who could? come on - fess up!) and Eric is holding back waiting for Sookie to come to him.

I think he feels if he applies too much pressure she might run... or be with him for the wrong reasons. Eric is a good guy under all of his showmanship – I don't think he'll let Sookie in until he knows it's the right thing for both of them.

If we ignore any play for an emotional connection with Sookie, there is still the fact that Eric knows his usual tactics don't work on her - they haven't for 8 books (with or without Bill in the picture).

He does, however, know now that she had sex with him when he was different, so perhaps he will spend the next bit of the story trying to acquire more of those traits - killing her with kindness so to speak, or bedding her with kindness in this case. ;)

Although I think the change will have to truly occur inside him and I don't believe it has yet - for him to be the winner of her heart in this series (and my story), he has to _want_ to be kind because he _loves_ her - she deserves it!

I do get annoyed with myself for writing it so flip floppy - but I think it's because I keep trying to fit Eric in because I like him so much and I want to give him all these chances to prove himself. I just don't have the heart to make her hate him completely - even if it's temporary. So as a result she is conflicted. I can make more of an effort to reduce the tension but it won't be a step in a good direction. It's too early for that. I'll find some way to do it where Eric is still redeemable in the end. So, my options are: two steps forward, one step back - or fifty steps backward and then the rest of the story forward. dilemma?

I hadn't really planned to even see Eric this much in the beginning of the story because I do have places I want to go with other characters, but you know how it is! He is too lovely to keep away.

Let me know what you think. I love hearing your opinion (about my story and about future CH novels). I know I've stopped reading stories when I think an author isn't being true to the story - so if you think I'm nuts lol, please do tell me.

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Okay… still with me? wow. lol, it's ice cream time. Then we skip Thursday (double shift at Merlotte's, boring but necessary to make money. Let's assume Bill watched over the house Thursday and there were no dramas) and back on track to Friday - Niall + 1 unknown's visit.

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"**No Eric, who eats ice cream in their bedroom?"**

"**I don't know," he said thoughtfully, "Maybe you do?"**

"**Nice try," I said as he set me down in a chair at the kitchen table and placed the bag in front of me.

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I pointed at the left light switch, and he flipped it. A single light above the sink flickered to life as he sat down in the adjacent chair.

"Eric, how much ice cream do you think one person can eat in a sitting?" I laughed quietly, digging through the bag pulling out the freezing cold pints – noting that they were all excellent selections.

"I have been through your freezer, I understand your needs."

"My what?" I choked out _needing_ him to repeat what he said.

"Your needs," he repeated tenderly, inching his chair closer to mine.

"And what is it you _think_ I need?" I asked expectantly meeting his stare.

His brow furrowed as he collected his thoughts; it wasn't the reaction I expected. Knowing Eric, I assumed he would say something torridly suggestive; my resistance was teetering on a thin ledge in anticipation.

"Evidently, ice cream," was all he said although from the look in his eyes, he clearly had hundreds of other things he wanted to propose.

_Why wouldn't he say them? This 'game' as Pam so aptly put it once was killing me._

"Evidently," I repeated softly as I got up to grab a spoon from the utensils drawer, turning away from him to gather my emotions.

The smile I had been longing for only moments earlier was on his face when I turned back around and I couldn't help but grin; he was devastatingly charming without even trying.

In the dim light of the kitchen, I was reminded of how breathtaking he was – his features attractively defined by shadows, he was a vision of strength and beauty.

It seemed so long ago I had told him as much to his face, _or his neck really… _a whole lifetime ago. What I wouldn't give to travel back, to have him hold me that way again – offering everything of himself. Was this Eric capable?

"You know, Pam has told me that women use sweets as a substitute for other needs," he said, his smile curling upwards.

_Where was Pam getting this? Dear Abby? And why was she so curious to know all about what women need? …Oh, right. _

"I think you'll need to file this one away with the other things you've mentioned tonight that Pam has told you as – not true," I lied. He _was_ irresistible and I did enjoy sugar on occasion – most women seemed to have some weakness.

"Are you sure?" he asked, still smiling.

"Yes, Eric, I'm sure."

If he was disappointed, he didn't show it. I hoped my face wasn't giving anything away either… Eric Northman was my real weakness.

He looked satisfied with my answer, and we maintained some sort of loose conversation about who would be around my house at night over the next week or so. I tried to fill him in on which days I thought I would be visiting Claudine and Claude - without letting him in on why.

He wasn't pleased when I told him Pam had figured out my relationship with the Brigants, although I saw a faint glint of pride at Pam's cleverness – she was after all an extension of Eric.

Nevertheless, it worked out well because he promised to arrange for Pam to be the one checking my house (or following me, much to my dismay) on those nights.

I thought briefly of asking him about Felipe's plans for me – if the current reign had any intention of utilizing my ability, but decided to save that conversation for another time. _I think I've been through enough tonight._

When I finished putting away the ice cream containers, _I wouldn't have to buy ice cream again for months_ he picked me up swiftly and began carrying me to my bedroom.

I looked at him questioningly.

"Footsteps," he said barely above a whisper.

Laughing softly, I nodded my head in approval.

Setting me gently on the chair, he shifted the blankets aside silently before picking me back up to lay me down upon the bed. He could hardly use 'footsteps' as a credible excuse for picking me up the third time, but I allowed it – I could just as easily have gotten up off the chair as he unmade my bed.

Watching his face intently as he tucked the blankets up around my shoulders, it seemed like, once again, a multitude of thoughts went unspoken between us. He appeared distracted as he placed a soft kiss on my nose and said goodnight in the husky voice I craved. He left without a sound – I didn't even hear the door close behind him. The hum of his thick gravelly voice in my memory lulled me to sleep.

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Friday

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Niall and his guest arrived at 2:00pm on the dot – my great-grandfather was quite punctual. I made a note in my mind to try to show him the same courtesy if it ever came up. _I wonder if he even keeps a 'normal' home like Claudine and Claude do?_ Of course, it is easier to be punctual when your method of transportation is teleportation.

Greeting my grandfather in our traditional manner, my eyes could not help but be distracted by the man next to him; his presence was awe inspiring.

He was tall, well built, and looked incredibly intelligent. I don't know how one decides this just from looking at someone – but I felt like I knew in that moment that he was clever, that he had probably read everything ever written and could recite it back to me with a sincere understanding of each topic.

His face was decidedly lovely in its perfection; I studied it carefully as Niall stood back allowing me to greet his guest. I reached for his hand to shake it. He took it carefully, wrapped both of his hands around it and leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek, placing our hands in a bundle against his warm chest. I took note of his full soft lips, beautifully masculine cheekbones, and long eyelashes, which fluttered softly against my skin as he closed his eyes to kiss me. I noticed a faint glimmer of lighter skin as he pulled away - a scar along his jaw line on the left side and I longed to trace my finger along it to see if the skin was slightly raised.

As he straightened and let go of my hands tenderly, his green eyes twinkled down at me with happiness. They were the color of the sea – blue swirling around within them magically altering the shade of green in the sunlight. His dark hair was flecked with gold; standing next to Niall I observed the immense contrast between them.

Niall smiled as he watched me observe the man he brought with him.

"Sookie, I would like to introduce you to Callum, Callum this is Sookie. Callum will be joining us for lunch this afternoon."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Sookie," Callum said warmly.

"And you, Callum," I said as I blushed, realizing who he was - _Claudine's_.

"Come, let's go inside," Niall said as he took my hand.

"_Callum is not aware of our relationship or your telepathy. We will continue to let him believe you are a close friend of Claudine, that is what she has told him of you, and it is a truth" _my great grandfather thought in my direction.

I nodded in acknowledgment when I was sure Callum wasn't looking, although I had no idea what excuse Niall would have given Callum for our lunch – it seemed that point hadn't been important enough for him to let me in on.

Niall let go of my hand and we walked into the kitchen to enjoy lunch.

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Callum was charming and funny and I was right – quite intelligent and not in a pretentious way; he was a complete dream. He had a slight Irish accent and it seemed he had good control over it – if he was trying to win me over by allowing it to slip occasionally… conveniently in conjunction with a thoughtful statement he was doing a fine job.

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When I was serving dessert, another fairy popped into the kitchen and began speaking to Niall with urgency in his voice. My eyes widened as I listened to their conversation.

Putting up one finger to silence the fairy, Niall turned toward Callum and said, "Would you please remove her memory of this? I can't have the child hearing of royal matters."

He looked harshly at the fairy that had just entered; the fairy looked ashamed.

"All of it?" Callum asked, concern evident on his striking face.

"Everything. I will take my leave now to deal with these matters. Please follow when you are finished. I will return later, as if it were the first time, and explain my delay," Niall said resolutely.

With that, Niall and the other fairy popped and I was left alone with Callum. He turned to face me in his seat and locked eyes with mine. Feeling the waves of power emanating from him, I fought to stay alert. He looked genuinely puzzled. He took my hands within his. Remembering what Niall said previously, I decided I should let him think he was influencing me.

The feeling was significantly more intense when he was in direct contact with me, particularly because I could feel his mind opening up to me as we touched. It was overwhelming.

I tried to unfocus my eyes – mimicking a look I saw all too often on a daytime vampire soap opera when humans were being glamoured. It was a favorite of Octavia's and I'm positive it was overacted so I tried to tone it down slightly.

Since a vampire would not be ravishing me directly afterward, I thought it best to remove all traces of lust from the facial expression. Keeping my face as blank as possible, I relaxed into the feeling letting my bottom lip droop slightly and my arms become limp.

The entire time I repeated in my mind a description of Callum and reminded myself of what he was doing – I was determined not to forget.

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Oddly, he kissed my cheek before he left. I didn't allow it to shake me, but it left me breathless. As soon as he popped out of the kitchen I let out a loud gasp, drawing air greedily into my lungs.

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Twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door.

I was surprised to find it was Callum on my front porch – except he was dressed differently and his hair was pulled back (though still covering his ears).

"Good afternoon miss, I was wondering if you'd be willing to answer a few questions about the upcoming county election."

His Irish accent was entirely gone, replaced by a strong southern one; I was impressed.

"I'm afraid I can't," I said sweetly "I'm waiting on someone for lunch who hasn't shown up yet… I'm starting to get a bit worried. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to think clearly enough to answer your questions."

"Anything I can help you with miss?"

"No thank you, I'm sure I'm just worrying for nothing."

I shrugged and laughed in an attempt to throw him off. He observed me skeptically for a few moments, his green-blue eyes reflecting wildly in the light.

_Does he really think anyone could believe he was human? _

Smiling pleasantly, I continued to play dumb.

"Well, all right then miss. Thank you for your time. Enjoy the rest of your day."

"You too," I called out as he walked down the steps. I watched him stroll down the gravel driveway out to the road where he no doubt popped away.

_Why had he come back? Why put on such a show?_ I wondered as I waited for Niall to return.

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* * *

**A brief glimpse into Callum's mind as he walked away… **

_Well, there is no doubt about it – she recognized me straight away. She was quite convincing, she had __**me**__ nearly doubting myself… but that flash of recollection on her face when she first opened the door, however fleeting, gave her away. Finn won't be able to take __**any**__ chances. _

_It is a shame he won't be able to make it to our engagement party. _

_He says he cleared her memory of the night he let her rescue him, but I'm doubtful. I wonder why she hasn't been looking for him, or more importantly - why Niall hadn't been looking for him. She couldn't honestly think he was some kind of Werewolf, could she? _

_No, of course not. Sookie is too clever for that. The only reasonable explanation is that since Finn is older than I am he must have been able to influence her somehow... but to what extent? _

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A/N Just to clarify – it's only you and me that glimpsed into Callum's mind, Sookie missed out on that one. We'll be hearing from Callum _and_ his family again in the future.

Thanks for reading and reviewing and sticking with the story! :)


	17. Callum and Finn

Lucky? Chapter 1703/05/2009 01:49:00

A/N Characters property of Charlaine Harris, no infringement intended, just writing for a bit of fun :)

Thank you for reading and reviewing and sending me notes! They are much appreciated!! Just a quick warning - there is a change in point of view (the first in this story) in the middle of this chapter.

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_**Why had he come back? Why put on such a show?**_** I wondered as I waited for Niall to return.

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At 3:30pm, my great-grandfather returned. Ever the gentleman, he knocked on the front door when he arrived. I had been sitting on the couch - my legs were tangled underneath me.

Nearly tumbling over as I raced to get to the door, I made sure to check the peep hole before opening it.

"Great-grandfather!" I exclaimed as I opened the door.

"Child," he said greeting me cordially.

He appeared slightly puzzled as to why I was out of breath as he leaned forward to kiss me on my rosy cheek.

"Callum…" I started.

"Inside, dear one. Let us go inside," he said calmly, taking my hand as we walked through the doorway.

Once seated in the living room, I waited for the go-ahead to launch into my speech about his earlier visit.

"Please, my dear, continue," he said extending his hand in invitation.

Not knowing where to start, the words tumbled out of my mouth in a very ungraceful manner… yet Niall appeared to pick up every word. Only once did he ask me to clarify something, and even then it appeared he simply wanted to hear it _again_ for confirmation as if he was _sure_ I had to be mistaken.

The look on his face was unreadable for quite some time after I finished speaking, leaning back on the couch – insecurely holding my knees to my chest.

"Did you _hear_ anything from him when he touched you?" Niall asked.

"No," I said solemnly.

Having been too busy focusing on remembering him when I felt his mind open up to me, I hadn't thought to explore it. I was feeling sorely disappointed with myself when Niall's warm hand connected with my shoulder.

"Don't let it upset you child, I am very proud of you. Let us celebrate your accomplishments. I have not known of many who walk amongst the humans capable of such strength. The old ways are often forgotten…"

Noticing that he stopped himself rather abruptly, I thought back to what he just said _walk amongst the humans_… _what does that mean?_

"That's for another time," he concluded and I couldn't help but focus on his face in that moment. He looked melancholy.

"You used the potion I specified?" he asked.

"Yes," I agreed.

Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a familiar looking yellow sealed box and a small knife. The knife looked ancient, the silver highly tarnished, the iridescent gems in the handle a pale green… I couldn't help but stare. I'd certainly never seen anything like it. I watched intently as he used the knife to slice his fingertip and applied the blood to the seal. The seal peeled back magically; my eyes sparked in recognition.

Niall removed a small vial; touched it to my wrists, and suddenly my mind was flooded with every supe I had been in contact with that week. Not recognizing my voice, their names were spilling from my lips and I wondered where it was coming from – it was not intentional on my part.

None of the names were a surprise and Niall looked quite content, although he did ask me about my contact with a vampire king that week.

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"Do you think it is possible the king would ingest your blood?" Niall asked.

It was the last question I could have expected, and I was quite quick to answer, "No."

"You are sure?"

"Well… if I have anything to say about it, no," I said more conservatively hoping that the choice would remain mine to make.

"So, you are not sure if you would have a say?"

Thinking back to my last trip to Fangtasia where Eric had willingly let me go with the king, I felt hurt and had to admit, "I guess it is a possibility, although rare."

I didn't know the king's intentions… though he seemed honorable. I had never shared blood with anyone I wasn't _with_; I was not that type of woman… although it had been difficult for me to deny Eric the last time he asked.

However, if I had to be honest – I was not physically strong enough to overcome a vampire if his intent was to take my blood without asking beforehand... My mind flashed to Bill, and I found myself in a place I rarely visited – I felt vulnerable.

My powerful Prince of a great-grandfather, the man known in his realm as 'my lord', ignored all pretenses and scooped me up in a tender embrace. He kissed my forehead and gently stroked my hair. I allowed myself a few moments of comfort as our minds connected.

I experienced his anger at being kept from me – he felt he could have done better, done more to save me from the injustices I'd known in my life. It was unfair that his kind had slaughtered my parents and still Fintan would not let him intervene. He was angry with himself for agreeing with Fintan that keeping me from his world would ensure my safety. I should be properly trained, I was after all a… Ice wall.

Niall released me gently and wiped away the tears running down my cheeks. It wasn't so much that I was crying for the loss of my parents… of course I was sad they were taken from me and I would never know them, but the emotional turmoil I felt within Niall was what momentarily devastated me.

"I am truly sorry you had to learn this information in such a way," Niall said sincerely.

Sitting up, my confidence returning, I sought confirmation, "Fairies killed my parents?"

"Yes," he said looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Why?"

"I fear it is for the same reason they may want to take you."

Ever the diplomat, his use of the word 'take' was of little comfort to me considering what I had just seen of my parent's death in his mind.

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I wasn't aware at the time, but he was _not_ being sensitive. His statement was meant to be taken literally – it was factual.

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"We can be finished for today," he offered.

"No, I would like to continue…" I said adamantly.

"If it is all right with you," I added.

"More than all right my dear," he said with a proud smile.

"Well, I do have a few new things we can practice today, but I'm afraid it is mostly the same – working on the ability to avoid influence."

Looking at him questioningly, I tried to think of what to say. _Had I not remembered Callum? It had been difficult, but I am sure I could do it again. I would not let anyone take advantage of me. _

My thoughts were disrupted by a soft chuckle.

"I admire your tenacity, my dear, but I must tell you - Callum is very young. Truthfully, I am not surprised he returned to see if he was able to remove your memory in its entirety. I am pleased he holds me in enough regard to ensure he completed his job successfully."

I frowned.

"Do not let it set you back. You have accomplished a great feat. You must know that the ability to influence is a learned skill among the fae… not all are adept. But, while there are many who worry themselves very little with practicing the ancient art form - there are those that do, and those few are _incredibly_ skilled indeed."

"Well, then we've got a lot of work to do. We should get started," I said as cheerfully as possible.

"Yes, I believe you are right," he said with a smile.

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Before departing, Niall returned briefly to our previous discussion of Felipe.

"I will have to reflect on the threat the King poses. Felipe de Castro has been a vampire for many centuries, he would know instantly of your ancestry if allowed even a drop of your blood." He paused. "In the meantime, be cautious," he said sincerely.

_What do you think I'm doing? Inviting danger straight into my home with open arms? _

"Of course," I replied graciously.

And with a small kiss on the cheek and a lingering smile, he was gone. _My own Cheshire cat. _I laughed.

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Just after dark, Pam knocked at the door.

"Hello Pam," I said kindly.

"Sookie," she regarded me.

"What am I supposed to tell Amelia and Octavia to explain you coming over all the time?"

Pam smiled impishly, "I have a few ideas that could be facilitated by spending some time alone in your be…"

A quick look at my discouraging face caused her to pause before continuing, "Sookie, you really are no fun… I would suggest we tell them the truth. Eric mentioned that it wouldn't be a problem if they knew. It will be formally announced to the entire supernatural community soon anyhow."

"Well, all right then. Please come in."

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Our evening was mostly uneventful – just four _ladies_ watching some movies. Pam didn't really say anything about Eric apart from telling Amelia and Octavia about my 'formal protection' and I didn't ask anything either. _I had a feeling I would be seeing him soon enough._

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At 10:30, the phone rang and I excused myself to go answer it.

"Hello"

"Sookie!"

"Oh! Claudine, how are you?"

"Absolutely terrific Sookie!!" she exclaimed before adding, "and how are you?" as a formality.

"Great!" I replied simply noticing that she had something she clearly wanted to tell me, yet enthusiastically so as to keep her in high spirits.

"I'm engaged! Callum and I are getting married in April! Oh, Sookie, I really never even expected… He makes me so happy… I'm so glad I have someone to share this with… Oh, Sookie, isn't it great news?"

She had started and stopped so many thoughts, I was still trying to find my place when I responded, "Of course Claudine, I'm so happy you're happy!" _She sure sounded happy; I hope "I'm happy" was one of the things she said. _

"Yes, very much so!" she said settling down somewhat.

"So what's next?" I said prompting her.

"Oh, right," she said as if she had forgotten something important. "I have something to ask you."

"Go ahead," I said encouragingly.

"Well, without Claudia… I mean, I know we haven't been close very long… but, I was hoping you would do me the honor of being my maid."

"You mean be your maid of honor?" I questioned teasingly.

"Oh, yes, of course! Our customs are slightly different," she apologized.

"Callum and I want to have a traditional human wedding as well as our fae joining. We both enjoy human customs immensely."

Claudine and I giggled our way through the rest of the conversation as we sorted through some initial details. She had way too much to get done on her own for a wedding in April and I pleaded with her to let me help. She was excited and didn't want to let go of any part of the planning though I assured her if she let me help, I wouldn't make any decisions without her approval.

After some further lighthearted coercion, she gave in and we decided I would be responsible for planning the engagement party. She insisted she would not be vampbride, the new turn of phrase replacing 'bridezilla' as a result of reality television and some 'rumors' of dead wedding planners. I wondered how much of it was made up… and how much was _covered_ up. The only part she was particular about was that she wanted to have the party at her favorite bar. _Not a problem, I know enough to know you always indulge the bride._

She gave me the name and contact details for a Marie Jansen and told me with a laugh that I would be wise to order the chocolate cheesecake – a slice for each of us when I went to meet her to sort out the date.

Laughing, I agreed.

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**Finn POV **

"You believe Niall has been visiting her regularly?" I asked Callum who had just finished telling me about his visit to Sookie Stackhouse's residence with Niall.

"I can't be sure, but I am positive a human would not be capable of resisting my influence without interference. He had to have given her something… he had definitely been there before."

I chuckled. _He was right. Although his skills were lackluster, __**no human**__ would be able to resist him._ _If only he knew. Sookie Stackhouse is no human. And there exists no such thing you can give to humans to help them avoid our influence, what would be the point otherwise? _But I let my brother think this nonetheless.

Thanking him for a job well done, I excused myself. I had planning to do.

I wondered how many times Niall had visited her. There was no doubt in my mind that he had begun training her, but it was vital to know how far she had progressed. Considering it was still less than two weeks since I had first met with her, I doubted it could be long. I remembered fondly that she had no visible shields to me that night; her innocence was slightly endearing. _Just slightly_. I was not a lover of humans and those that chose to associate with them so closely… but there was something delicious about her that intrigued me.

I decided to pay her a visit that evening. I never waste time. I'd have to cloak myself… and tread lightly. No doubt Niall had rigged her with alarm and recognition systems – but these were of little concern to me.

Knowing Niall, I knew he would value her _feelings, _and that was assurance enough that no measures I couldn't avert would be in place.

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Arriving in her bedroom, I detected the presence of two witches and a vampire in close proximity. Interesting… but not threatening.

I moved closer to her bed inhaling her scent with every stride. Leaning over until my face was mere inches from hers, my breath warm against her cheek, I willed her to wake up.

"Sookie," I beckoned.

She looked startled to see me; I chucked and allowed my chest to rumble with the soft laughter as I positioned myself so she was looking directly into my eyes.

"Oh, Finn!" she cried out as her arms latched around my neck.

"But how did we get upstairs? Are you okay? You look so much better…"

I was slightly taken back by her enthusiastic greeting, but I steadied myself quickly and took a moment to slightly alter her version of the events that unfolded that night.

Her eyes glazed over for a moment and she smiled contentedly as I told her what good care she had taken of me, that I had left her when I healed, and had now returned to thank her properly. There was a weird pull on my conscious when I first saw her eyes change.

_What conscious?_ I thought to myself. It had been a long time since I felt anything like it. Reluctantly, I let her fall out of my spell.

"I was beginning to think you were a dream," she whispered as she reached out to touch my face.

"Green eyes," she murmured as she stroked my cheek soothingly. Her eyes had returned to normal and I found myself oddly pleased that she was still smiling even though I was not influencing her.

"Maybe I am a dream?" I replied with a wide grin.

"Maybe…"

Her smile faltered, and I rushed to make it reappear by asking if she would like confirmation.

She nodded.

I reached for her hand and pop! We were gone.

I took her to my gardens, although I wasn't sure why. It was probably one of the more likely places someone would go if they were looking for me but for some reason I chanced it.

Truthfully, I wasn't even sure if she could cross into our realm but it was worth a try. If it hadn't worked, I would have simply gone back to her room and thought of something else. Surely Niall had not attempted to bring her over because he would have hidden her if it were possible – although he may have considered her _feelings_ once again. The thought made me shudder.

Turning toward her, I watched her face light up as she observed the tall hedges of the labyrinth we were in. Instantly, I knew the risk I had taken was worth it.

"Now do you believe me?"

"Yes," she whispered far too uneasy for my liking.

"I'll give you five seconds," I told her.

"Five seconds for what?" she asked, she was chewing her bottom lip nervously.

"2 seconds to believe me, and 3 to start running. We're in a labyrinth Sookie; let's have some fun. Do you think you can find your way out before I can find you?"

I observed her intently. Her eyes lit up with curiosity and quickly flickered to determination when she realized I was serious.

She ran until she reached the end of the row we were in, and paused for a split second before turning left. _Left_ I ingrained in my memory – she chooses to go left. She was laughing as she ran so I knew she wasn't afraid.

Giving her a few more seconds than I told her I would, I waited until I could only faintly hear her laughter before taking off after her.

It would have been easy to find her, but I found myself indulging her. Whenever I found her, I chased her half-heartedly until we arrived at a cross point. Staring at each other in mock showdown, I could see the wheels turning in her head. I also enjoyed watching her chest heave with deep breathing and her cheeks flood with color. With a wink or a quick smile, she would turn left and vanish just as I was getting caught up observing her all too human tendencies.

_It's almost a shame. _

I caught sight of her again as she was nearing the last row. I watched her eyes light up when she noticed the exit. She stopped to taunt me as she reached the place where the hedge wall ended. Increasing my speed, I ran toward her in challenge but she skillfully turned and exited the maze.

"Well played Miss Stackhouse," I called out after her as I walked out of the labyrinth.

Not noticing where she went, my eyes scanned the field in front of me. Hearing a stifled laugh behind me, I spun around fast (although not too fast, I was careful not to give myself away) and spied her pressed up against the hedge wall.

Our eyes met and she laughed voraciously – it was infectious. I smiled as I approached her predatorily.

"Your eyes," she said softly as I pressed myself into her.

"Yes?" I questioned as I pushed her hair back and hungrily licked at her ear.

"They are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she whimpered.

"No," I assured her as I kissed her neck moving my mouth upward toward hers.

She ducked under my arm and ran through the field. Under any other circumstances, I can imagine I would have been quiet impatient. Nonetheless, I found myself chasing after her once again forcing ragged breaths – it didn't come naturally to me. I hoped it was believable enough for her.

She was sitting at the bottom of the hill, twirling a daisy absently between her fingers. I plucked one from a nearby plant and wove it through her hair.

_I plucked one from a nearby plant and wove it through her hair?_

She smiled at me brilliantly and I reminded myself – _this is for a purpose. I'll entertain her weak heart for now because it is easier and less obvious than torture. _Yes… I was cleverer than I could have even believed I was capable, playing up to her expectations.

Lying down in the field next to her, she looked down at me and sighed contentedly as she moved to join me. She nestled her head against my arm and draped her arm lazily across my stomach.

"If this is a dream, why do I feel so tired?" she questioned.

"Did you not just run through a maze, and then up and down these hills in my field for the last hour or so?"

"Yes, I suppose I did," she giggled.

_Giggling? I did not sign up for giggling. Did I just not five minutes ago think this was easier than torture… torture for whom?_

"Perhaps the rest of your day has made you feel exhausted as well?" I asked focusing back on the mission at hand.

"Yes, definitely," she replied with a knowing smile, tilting her face up toward mine.

She _looked_ very much like an innocent girl, but in her eyes… I saw several lifetimes worth of pain, even though I had taken her to a place of immense peace.

_Maybe this is why we came to the gardens..._

I could tell she had to struggle to relax and enjoy 'her dream' and I _almost_ felt bad about what I had to ask her.

I ran my free hand through her hair, stroked her cheek, and traced her lips with my thumb as I delicately prodded her for information about her day. _Evidently, she required a little warming up before she talked. I would have to remember that._

Eventually she spilled everything – about Niall's visits, realizing Preston was a fairy, practicing with Claude and Claudine, meeting my futile brother…

When I was satisfied I had gotten everything I could from her, I allowed myself some time to think while she fell asleep peacefully curled up against me.

The sun moved in the sky and I rearranged us so that we were sitting in the shade with my back to a tree; the only movement she made was to cling tightly to my chest as I picked her up and carried her toward the tree. _I couldn't have her waking up sun burnt._ _There are many things I can manipulate – the sun's position in the sky in this realm or any other is not one of them._

I nestled her in my lap with her head positioned on my chest, her arms still grasping me fervently. Her body only relaxing when I held her firmly against mine. Her soft moan of relief when I gripped her securely against my chest caused a faint fluttering within me that I immediately dismissed. Tangling my fingers in her pale golden hair, I unconsciously enjoyed the mixture of her soft feminine scent and the field of flowers as my mind schemed.

Several hours passed.

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I took her home and placed her back in her own bed waking her briefly to rid her of any part of her memory I deemed too risky. For the meantime, her confidence in me was a key point in my plan so I let most of her memory remain.

When I returned home, I positioned myself high up in my tallest tree. Observing the labyrinth and the field we had just spent a few hours laying in, I considered the day quite successful.

_She thought I was a dream – how quaint. I would let her keep thinking that… perhaps next time I would make it a little sweeter for her. No sense letting the girl go unsatisfied. _

Once more, I let my mind run through all of the things she told me. It would be easy to reduce her contact with Claudine. My brother could make himself useful. I was surprised to hear Claude was assisting… but I doubted that without Claudine he would be of much help.

I debated on whether or not to end Preston's life – although he wasn't aware of it, he knew far too much. He led me straight to her and gave me the means to attain an introduction. I hadn't known she was so _interested_ in Werewolves and trouble. The former bored me endlessly – I knew of quite a few fairies that liked to slum it with weres.

I was glad the fae were not planning to formally 'mainstream' any time soon; the thought disgusted me. I would not play nice with humans just because they _out of sheer luck_ outnumbered us. The latter, however… the troublemaker in her excited me far more than I was willing to admit.

_This is simply reconnaissance; _I had to remind myself… although I was growing hard just thinking of her.

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	18. Meeting Jack

A/N I was really bad today and spent most of my time reading book spoilers (thank you Sookieverse girls!!) and pondering DAG when I should have been writing – here is what I finished up today. Sorry, I meant to fit a lot more in… *smiles sheepishly* :) hehe

Thanks so much for all of your reviews!! I was so thrilled to wake up this morning and see I now have over 100 reviews on this story *yay*! Thank you!!

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**She gave me the name and contact details for a Marie Jansen and told me with a laugh that I would be wise to order the chocolate cheesecake – a slice for each of us when I went to meet her to sort out the date. **

**Laughing, I agreed.

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Groggily, I woke up to the sound of Amelia pounding on my bedroom door although it felt more like she was knocking her fist repeatedly against my head. The loud noise reverberating through my mind, I pressed my face uselessly into the pillow. Nothing could drown Amelia out.

"What?" I called out.

"Sookie, I heard your alarm go off hours ago. Can I come in?"

"Yes," I grumbled weakly hoping she wouldn't hear me and would go away.

She heard me.

Amelia flashed me a wide grin as she entered the room and shut the door behind her.

Begrudgingly, I sat up in bed, placing my fingers to my temples to steady my mind. Somehow I was able to get my shields in place before Amelia sat down next to me, shuffling under the blankets to keep warm.

"Sook, it's nearly 11…" she said softly.

_Amelia said something softly? _I thought before I focused on what she said.

"I've got to be at work in an hour!" I proclaimed.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"I've got to be at work in an hour?" I repeated with a groan letting my head fall against her shoulder.

"Yep," she said laughing lightly.

"What are you laughing at Broadway?"

"Nothing Sook, do you want me to take the shift today? I know I'm not the best waitress, but I'm sure Sam would understand if you aren't feeling well."

She placed the back of her hand against my forehead.

"A little warm, but nothing out of the ordinary… Your face is quite flushed though, were you thinking about anyone in particular?" she teased.

Lifting my head up off of her shoulder, I looked her square in the eye.

"No, I was sleeping up until five minutes ago when you started knocking on my door like a lunatic."

"Perhaps a vivid dream then?"

_Yeah… something like that_ I thought as it started coming back to me. Feeling the blush seep into my cheeks, I heard Amelia laugh.

"I'll take that as a yes!" she giggled, "so tell me, is the Viking as gorgeous in your dreams as he is in real life? Because there is really no way he could improve… is there?"

"The dream… it wasn't about Eric," I admitted quietly, surprising even myself.

"No?" she questioned, "Sookie, you little vixen! Well tell me about it, I want to hear."

"I haven't got time Amelia, work. Remember?"

"No fun," she said glumly, removing herself from the bed.

Following her lead, I also climbed out of bed, gathering the things I would need to take into the bathroom for my shower.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked Amelia before she left the room.

"Sure, shoot."

"Are dreams something to be concerned about?"

"I don't know. I believe dreams are the realm of psychologists? But we could ask Octavia… Why do you ask?"

"It was very realistic… I've never had a dream like it before."

"I've had some _very_ realistic dreams before Sook," Amelia said with a suggestive wink, "you have nothing to worry about, but if you are unsure we can ask Octavia?"

"Oh," I said, "I'll keep it in mind – but please don't tell her anything unless I ask."

"Sure Sook, though you haven't really _told_ me anything," she said pulling her best pout face, "honestly, I think you should just enjoy it for what it is. You could use some _very realistic_ action in your life if you ask me."

"Well… I didn't ask you, now shoo!" I said boldly as she scooted from the room laughing.

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Before jumping in the shower, I had a sudden brain flash and placed a quick call to Jack's, the bar Claudine wanted to have her engagement party at, to talk with Ms. Jansen.

The remnants of last night's dream were clouding my mind… my body was still tingling, but I couldn't let it be an excuse to ignore my responsibilities…Although, if I thought I could fall right back into it if I went back to sleep, I probably would have jumped at the chance.

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Not wanting to waste any time, we set a time to meet at Jack's that afternoon. Considering how curious I was to see the place Claudine regarded so highly, I was more than happy to travel to meet her there, although she graciously offered to meet somewhere closer.

Amusingly, selecting a time to meet was easy – there would be a lull at their bar exactly when I would be leaving Merlotte's for the same reason.

Sam had me scheduled for Saturday lunches (12-3pm) for the next few weeks. When I asked for more hours, he kindly added me to the busiest time – weekend lunch/dinner hours. The new girls still needed some help and the weekends were extremely good for tips so it worked out well for everyone, even though the extra shifts weren't full shifts.

Part of a full shift was spent puttering around taking care of odds and ends with very few customers, and although Sam had offered them to me, I refused to take him up on the offer. There was little sense in him paying me to hang around to do nothing, I assured him. Eventually he caved and we worked out the partial shifts.

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The other benefit of only working 12-3, was how quickly it seemed to fly by because before I knew it, it was time to leave. Of course, Sam didn't bother telling me when it was 3:00, I think he was still hoping I'd stick around and collect the extra hours, but as if on cue - a distinct change in noise occurred at 3:00 and I instinctively knew it was time to pack up.

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When I realized I had walked past the bar three times, I felt silly. The window did say "Jack's," how did I miss it?

City establishments were still quite foreign to me, though I couldn't help but feel I should have known Claudine's other favorite restaurant would be another 'hole in the wall.' I should have been looking more intently; of course it didn't help that many of the buildings went without numbers.

Smiling, I prepared myself to be extremely nice to the woman I was about to meet – I was over 20 minutes late.

Reaching for the door, I steadied my mind – Finn was still playing on repeat in my head and I wasn't about to blush myself silly in front of this woman.

I had enough close calls earlier at Merlotte's. Cleverly, I positioned myself close to the grill whenever I had a free moment, talking with the new short order cook about absolute nonsense – I don't remember a word of what I said but it excused my rosy cheeks.

Gripping the large brass door handle, I had just made the decision to pull when the door came flying open of its own accord.

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"Sorry," I said from my new spot on the pavement, rubbing my sore right hip.

"Why should you apologize?" the man asked.

Looking up at him, I realized he was right. I was the one sitting on the sidewalk after being thrown back a few feet. He was just standing there, looking at me strangely, completely uninjured.

"Right," I muttered, noting that he had not ventured forth an apology and was not making any attempt to help me up. _City manners!_ I thought as I glared at him.

His confidence unwavering, he took two short strides toward me and offered me a hand.

"Thanks," I said as I took his hand.

He placed his other hand under my elbow to guide me up.

"It's not every day one runs into a real life damsel in distress," he chuckled.

"I assure you sir, I am no such thing. Now if you'll excuse me, I am very late for an appointment," I said honestly, not intending to sound rude.

"In there?" he questioned pointing to the door he had just walked out of, his face hinting at a smile.

"Yes," I replied simply. _Why else would I have been holding onto the door?_

"Well, you better get going then," he said over his shoulder, his grey eyes glinting with mischief in the sunlight, as he walked away.

"Right…" I muttered again under my breath as I reached for the door, this time watching through the glass for patrons on the other side as I opened it.

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Immediately, my eyes were drawn to the two large steel staircases flanking the bar against the back wall. While composed of a utilitarian material, their presence went far beyond functionality. The serpentine pathways were punctuated by striking latticework steps.

From a distance, the steps looked delicate which contrasted strongly with the rest of the steel frame.

My hands yearned to run over the cool smooth metal of the curved handrails, and my eyes longed to take a closer look at the elaborately sculpted balustrades. But, they would have to wait. I had an appointment, and I was already running behind schedule.

There was a hostess stand by the entrance, and although no one was currently at the post, I thought it would be a good place to get someone's attention. I would wait a few minutes and then head back to the bar if no one came over.

Taking in the rest of the pub as I walked to the counter, I decided it was what one would call 'industrial chic', not a favorite style of mine… but there was something homey and soft buried under the rough exterior that spoke to me.

Turning my head to the right, I noticed there was a young man also walking in the direction of the hostess counter. He picked up his pace and reached it before I did.

"Hiya," he said.

"Hi, I'm Sookie Stackhouse. I have an appointment with Ms. Jansen, I'm afraid I'm a little late."

"Not a problem Ms. Stackhouse, I'll get her for you," he replied, picking up the cordless phone from the dock on the counter.

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He seated me at a table and asked me if I would like a drink. Asking if they had lemonade, I was surprised to find they made their own – freshly squeezed. _Well,_ I thought, _it turns out I hadn't left the south after all._

Remembering what Claudine said, I also asked for two slices of chocolate cheesecake.

"Excellent choice," he said with a knowing smile.

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Less than five minutes later, I heard footsteps approaching. I turned to see a petite brunette woman waddling toward me, her eyes fixed hungrily on the cheesecake.

"How did you know?" she asked as she eased herself into the seat, still fixated on the cheesecake.

I contemplated getting up to assist her, but I could sense she was just as independent as I was. Luckily, she managed just fine.

I laughed softly and she smiled.

"I didn't actually know why I was ordering it, Claudine was the one to suggest it,"

"Ah, yes… Claudine," she said fondly before her face turned slightly sour, "You know it was her brother's idea that we start carrying this chocolate cheesecake. I could kill him. He never seems to gain an ounce, although he is in here regularly, always ordering sweets… I seem to have gained it all around my middle," she said grinning, rubbing her swollen belly.

"How far along are you?" I couldn't help myself from asking; she had such a beautiful glow about her.

"Nearly 7 months," she replied digging into her cheesecake.

Following suit, I found the cheesecake was delicious. I could see why she and the baby liked it so much.

"So, you own this place?" I asked.

"Nope. Jack does," she said honestly, but the smile on her face let me know the place wouldn't be the same without her.

"Makes sense," I replied.

"Yup. So, what kind of party are you wanting to throw?"

"An engagement party."

"Really?" She looked excited. "For you and your fiancé?" she said glancing down at my hand.

I laughed; the probability of that happening was quite slim. "No, sorry, it's an engagement party for Claudine."

"No way! Callum? Really?"

"Yep, you've met him?" I asked.

"Just once, they came in for dinner one night. Jack didn't seem to care for him much, but I thought he was terrific and Claudine definitely looked happy to be with him."

"Is Jack your…" I started before she cut me off with a loud snort.

"Heavens no, although don't think I didn't try…" she said with a wink, "but that was years ago. I've been married for hmm… let me think, yes – nearly seven years now. Scott works a few blocks from here at a medical centre, he still stops by for lunch nearly every day," she said with a heartwarming smile.

"I give him a discount," she said with a cheeky smile, "although I did that when he first started coming in here over eight years ago as well… except now Jack knows about it." She laughed warmly.

"So… back to business," she said pulling out her calendar book, "did you have any dates in mind?"

"To be honest, I haven't really thought that far. They want to have the wedding in April, so it doesn't give us much time – do you have any weekends available in the next month or so?" I asked hopefully.

"For Claudine – we'll make it work," she said as she turned her attention to her day planner, thumbing absently through the pages.

"I can reserve the third floor two weeks from today for the evening, or downstairs for the Sunday," she said with a smile as she told me the differences between the levels – how many people they could fit, the benefits of each, etc.

After a quick phone call to Claudine, we decided on Sunday. One of the main reasons being that they could use their own staff on a Sunday if given enough advance. If we had selected the Saturday, we would have also had to hire bartenders and additional wait staff – a headache we didn't have time for.

Chatting with Marie for the next hour or two, we nearly planned the entire party; she clearly knew what she was doing. The only remaining tasks I would take care of early the next week: choosing the flowers (she gave me the number for the florist they dealt with) and menu selection, we put together a few options for Claudine to select from.

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"Thank you so much for your help Marie, you must throw a great party."

She laughed, "Thanks Sookie, I've really enjoyed working here."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Well, I'm not positive yet… I've got 6 months paid maternity leave to decide… but I really don't think I'll come back after I've had the baby. I've always dreamed of being a mother." She paused, her eyes shining with determination, her face utterly glowing, "Jack said I could hire an assistant, but to be honest, I don't work well with others." She laughed jovially as she crinkled her nose at the prospect.

I really had a hard time imagining that – we just had a great time sorting through all these details together.

As if picking up on my thought, she said, "Customers are different, I love working with customers – it's why I've stayed all these years. I know not every girl dreams about being a waitress, but it's been the best job I could have ever hoped for, Jack gave me a good place to work when I really needed it and I met the man of my dreams as a result. Could anyone ask for more? Well, I suppose they could, but I might just call those people greedy," she said with a laugh.

"But, you aren't a waitress, are you?"

"No, I guess not anymore…" she said thoughtfully, "when we started booking so many parties, someone had to handle them. Jack certainly wasn't doing anything to encourage it, but it was good for the pub, so I stepped forward. As things got busier, I had less and less time for lunch and dinner shifts."

Dipping into her mind, I found that she still considered herself a waitress, she didn't accept any change in title when her job changed, although she had accepted the pay raise. At the time she had been saving for a house, a house she was now proud to say she had put her own money toward. Except she didn't exactly say it, I had read it from her mind. Feeling guilty, I put my shields back up and offered something about myself, "I'm a waitress too, I really like it."

"Really? I should have known. I like you Sookie."

"Thanks Marie, I like you too."

We shared a moment of sincere mutual respect, before she stood up and rounded the table, taking my hand in a warm handshake.

"Well, I had better get going. I've still got a few calls to make before I go home for the night. Call me when you've made the arrangements with the florist and as soon as Claudine decides on the menu. Here is my cell phone number," she said handing me her business card, "you can just call that number," she used her pen to point to it, "the sooner we know the better. I'll call the staff this weekend and get that taken care of."

"Thanks Marie."

"Your welcome Sookie, I hope to see you again soon."

"I hope to see you two again soon," I said winking, making a small gesture toward her belly.

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Being careful to check that no one was outside the door before I opened it, I noticed the sun was setting. It was like a whole other world inside the bar, I hadn't thought about the time. I placed a call to Eric as I walked down the street toward my car.

"Hello. Hello?" I questioned as I moved the phone from my ear to in front of my face, and then back to my ear. _It said I was connected to Eric Northman? But, then why wasn't he there… _

"What a pleasure it is waking up to your voice, lover," he said leisurely.

"Yes, Hello Eric."

"What can I help you with?" he asked seductively ignoring my subtle plea for a more business like demeanor.

"Look, I know tonight is Bill's night to uhh… watch my house, but I'm running a little behind here in Monroe. Can you let him know I'll be home in less than an hour?"

"I'm glad you have started calling me on my cell phone only to ask that I act as a go-between for you and Bill Compton."

"Eric, please. I'd appreciate it. If it wasn't for _your_ schedule, I wouldn't even have to ask you to do this," I reminded him.

"It is not _my_ schedule. My subjects may have to report to me with their findings, but make no mistake this is Felipe's doing. I don't want my comings and goings recorded either."

"I should call him then?"

"No," he said abruptly, then paused before continuing, "Forget Compton, I'll take care of it."

But before I was able to breathe a sigh of relief or say 'thank you', he added, "I will see you at your house in one hour lover," before he hung up the phone.

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Pressing the green button to redial his number again, he picked up impatiently, "Lover, you are going to make me late."

"Eric, there is no need for you to go to my house, Bill will be fine. If you won't call him, I will."

"You prefer Bill's company?"

"No, it isn't that. I don't want to inconvenience you."

"Well, if you must know, I have placed myself on the schedule. Tonight is my night – you will see me every Saturday, I was hoping to make it a surprise… now hurry home and I will see you there."

"A surprise, really? Are you sure the king didn't suggest it?" I asked sarcastically.

"Quite the opposite… let me tell you what he did _suggest_ – that he would leave Victor in Las Vegas for the next three months while he _personally_ assessed your security needs. Is there something you want to tell me lover?"

"Thank you?"

"That is not what I meant."

"I know Eric, no I don't have anything to _tell_ you."

"Are you in your car yet?"

"Almost, I can see it from here."

"I'll wait."

And he did, until I was in the car and he heard the sound of the doors locking.

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I have no idea how he arrived at my house before I did, but he was there and so was his corvette – so he didn't fly, unless he flew carrying the corvette, but that was just too silly to imagine.

"Eric," I said, acknowledging his presence when I exited the car. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was near.

"Lover…" he whispered in my ear from behind.

My heart jumped up in my throat when I realized how close he was, I spun around to face him.

Chuckling, he leaned back against the car, his eyes scanning my face.

It was slightly unnerving the way he watched me, as if he was reading me from the inside out.

"Are you all right out here? Can I get you anything?"

"Yes," he said advancing.

"True Blood?" I choked out, backing up slowly.

"No," he said taking a step back toward the car.

Holding my ground, I smiled apprehensively, "Well, okay. I'm going inside, I have my phone with me..."

"You refuse to invite me in? You let Pam inside."

"Pam likes watching movies with us, would you like to come inside and watch a movie Eric?"

"Would we be alone?"

"I don't know. Probably… It looks like Amelia's car isn't here, although even if it was she could still be out, sometimes Tray picks her up… Octavia mentioned possibly spending the weekend in Monroe with some local witches at a conference, I really won't know until I get inside Eric, she doesn't drive – it's harder to know."

I was rambling. He was advancing once again.

"Sure, I'll watch a _movie_," he said casually when he was mere inches away from me.

"What do you want to watch?"

"I find myself pleased simply watching you."

"Why did you come here?" I asked, changing the subject.

"To protect you."

"From what?"

"From yourself, it seems. You can't help but ensnare every male supernatural creature you come in to contact with. If I intend to make you mine again, I'll have to keep them away."

"This is about Felipe isn't it?" I asked angrily.

"Yes, exactly what did you do to him?" he asked, his eyes sparkling in amusement.

"Nothing, why do you care?"

"For a long time, I thought it would be better for us if I stayed away. I didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to you, or my preoccupation with you. Now it seems I have no choice _but_ to make myself _very present_ in your life."

"What makes you think I want that or that I'll even allow it?"

"Lover, I am aware of the great pleasure we bring each other, I _remember_."

He licked his lips suggestively. I could feel moisture pooling between my legs. _Of course I wanted him. I couldn't deny what he just said, but was it enough? Or was his suggestive act a façade? _

He reached out and pulled me toward him drawing me up against his chest. Rubbing his face against mine, he sniffed my hair and kissed my ear. It took all of my strength to place my palms against his chest and push myself back – not physical strength… emotional.

Looking at me with interest, he allowed me to move back.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt wasn't working, I was still harbouring too much resentment toward him. I wanted the feelings between us to change – one way or the other, I was fine with either. I was unhappy with limbo.

Feeling tears stinging my eyes I said what I had to say, "I am not saying no to _ever_ being in a relationship with you, Eric, but not like this – not because you have decided someone else can't have me. It may have been your intention to 'stay away' for my _protection_, but that didn't make me happy. It wasn't fair. You didn't tell me _anything_. And I know you _remember_, it was months ago that you shared that fact with me. I've remembered since it happened Eric. I didn't allow myself to miss you; it would have hurt too much. I thought it was better not to think of it – it wasn't really you. Then you came to me, you told me you knew, and I thought it meant something to you. But you're still the same, aren't you?"

Struggling to catch my breath, I looked in his direction expectantly – his face was unreadable.

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A/N I wrote this

_It said I was connected to Eric Northman? But, then why wasn't he there…_

completely by accident – only referring to the fact that he was just waking up and not completely alert on the phone when she called him, but it really stuck with me when I read it a second time. So that's the cause of Sook's little outburst at the end. This is the last time she will yell at him about this – I promise!

Eric tomorrow, because like I mentioned, I spent too much time considering novel Eric today (yum!), and not enough time my own. I find him to be the absolute hardest character to write for – I have no idea how he feels or thinks. It's all speculation on my part.

Someone tell him to give me a call, okay? Purely for research purposes!


	19. Honesty and Eric

Lucky? Chapter 1904/05/2009 23:37:00

A/N Thanks for the reviews and thoughts! And story alerts – I am always so pleased when I get an email saying someone has added it to their story alerts – what a huge compliment! Thank you!! :)

Just a short one today, but it came to a natural ending point, so the rest of my writing today will go in tomorrow's chapter.

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"**But you're still the same, aren't you?" **

**Struggling to catch my breath, I looked in his direction expectantly – his face was unreadable.**

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"No, Sookie, No. I could never be the same," he said softly, reluctantly.

Though I always appreciated it, Eric's honesty often came at a price.

Tensing in preparation when Eric turned to avoid my gaze, I briefly thought back to the night Bill's purpose in my life was revealed. His manner certainly reminded me of that night, he looked distraught… no, it was more than that - I could _feel_ it.

_I couldn't handle it again, if he had something difficult to say to me, I really had no idea what I would do - my strength had all but run out. _

_But what else was I expecting from this? Did I honestly expect him to drop to his knees and offer me some kind of life with him? _

_Bill told me it was beneath __**him**__ to have a relationship with a human. If that was the truth… what was it like for a vampire sheriff? Would Eric be disgraced if he chose me? Would we be able to get past that, and more importantly – would I be able to live with myself if I had to act subservient to him for the rest of my life. _

_Rest of my life?!__What was I thinking? Was I even ready for that decision – to commit myself to another vampire? _

Instantly, I regretted ever saying anything to Eric about how I felt. He had the right idea, if we never talked about it things could carry on the way they were.

_Neither of us would have to be hurt tonight - if vampires were even capable of that kind of hurt. What an idiot I am! I liked Eric the way he was, didn't I? _

I trusted him to watch out for me, he had always been a good friend – although opportunistic. It always amused me the way he chased me, the playful banter between us was something I counted on in my life – I always knew what to expect from Eric. With all of the chaos in my life, he was a constant.

_Except lately, it hadn't been so constant. I missed him – but which him?_

_Were we better or worse off for the time we spent together when he was cursed?__Was I holding on to these tiny pieces of the Eric that spent time with me in my home because I thought there was a chance he was a real part of Eric, or was it that I was too afraid to acknowledge that I might live my life alone - an outcast among humans. _

I couldn't stop my mind from drowning itself in thought.

_Why wouldn't he say something to break me out of it?_

'_Damn it! Just look at me Eric!'_ I wanted to scream.

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He was leaning against the hood of his corvette, eyes closed, his arms hanging without purpose by his side.

"Just forget it… forget what I said," I said in defeat.

He opened his eyes and looked at me cautiously, his expression not giving anything away. His blazing blue eyes connected with mine fiercely – _they_ were telling.

_No wonder he had them closed. _Finding myself unable to hold his stare, I averted my eyes - it was too intense.

"No, Sookie," he said quietly, searching for my eyes, "Just because it went unsaid does not mean I wasn't already thinking of it. You _greatly_ underestimate me."

"You haven't given me any reason to think anything else," I said, my eyes still focused on the gravel below me.

"No, I have not."

_At least we were in agreement – but what the heck did that mean?_

"Will you wait for me?" he asked in an unsure way, a very un-Eric like way.

I looked at him curiously, allowing my eyes to find his.

"You say you will not be with me because I am trying to keep you from someone else… I cannot deny that I desire to keep you from others, but I intend to prove to you that it is more than that."

_How could I deny him? I saw the honesty in what he said, I saw the uncertainty in his eyes when he asked - it was strangely familiar. This was new territory for Eric, hell – it was new territory for me. I owed it to both of us to give him that chance. _

"Yes, I will wait."

_I thought better of asking him what he thought my other prospects were, and was smart enough to not give away how pleased I was that he had asked. Let him be slightly humbled – it might do him some good. _

"Then, I will see you next Saturday evening," he said with a smirk.

Apparently modesty wasn't kicking in yet – _give it time…_

"All right Eric, I'll try to keep the evening free," I said with my best poker face.

With vampire speed, he advanced, stopping only for a second – to let me see his mouth just inches from mine - before placing a firm kiss on my lips. Stepping back, he scented my arousal in the air and smiled in satisfaction.

"You are going inside now?" he asked.

"Uhh… yes?" I said dumbfounded. Obviously we had different ideas of the term 'waiting'.

"Good. You are safe inside. The witch is good for something. Do not let any other vampires inside, except Pam. She is allowed to join you for movies only. As we have decided, all other pleasures are mine."

Giving him an odd look that said 'what conversation were you just in', he added quickly, "in time."

He flashed me a brilliant smile and I didn't have the heart to argue with him. He had basically just agreed to date me on my terms. Only time would tell the rest…

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	20. A Vampire King and a Fairy Castle

Lucky? Chapter 2006/05/2009 08:51:00

A/N Umm, I originally wrote this out as a bulleted list to put in the beginning of the next chapter as a quick fast forward with highlighted points – but decided that was lazy. *sigh* my conscience… if only I could ignore it. Finn, Eric, anybody occasionally lacking a conscience, tips?

Some additional points of view included as a result.

I promise more action (and Eric) coming soon. I think I keep getting too wrapped up in small details, writing more than necessary. lol

I'll either be reading DAG on Thursday or Friday *fingers crossed it gets here today!* so probably no update for a couple days. Though I'm sure it hardly matters - everyone is reading/analyzing the new book as well! I'm keen to see if there is anything I can incorporate into my story. :D

.

Still Saturday

**Felipe's POV**

The last thing I expected to see that evening was Eric returning before Fangtasia closed. I was sitting in his throne 'enthralling the vermin,' as Pam so delicately put it. There were vampire bars in Las Vegas where I resided, but I generally stayed out of them. My position as king kept me quite busy and I had little use for the fangbangers that frequented them. It was always easy for me to find suitable… _company_ in one of the many casinos and resorts I owned, and of course, being a vampire necessitated such company – although I found myself growing weary of the exchanges in my old age.

It was in part why I remained in Shreveport. There wasn't much paperwork left to be done in Louisiana, and truthfully the little that remained would have been easier taken care of in New Orleans. But, somehow I managed to get all of my contacts to work with me from a distance. _Ah, the wonders of modern technology. _

I sold most of Sophie Anne's properties, keeping a few buildings for future vampire gatherings and one smaller residence for my own purposes. I saw very little utility in keeping up many of the older vampire ways - excess.

_It may seem amusing coming from the vampire King of Nevada (and now Louisiana and Arkansas, thank you), but while I take great pleasure in my wealth and position because of the options they afford me, I do not throw either around carelessly and I have little respect for those that do._

_There had been times in my past where I had little more than the cape on my back… and I continue to wear it on occasion as a reminder of exactly how far I've come._

With this rolling around in my mind, I was instantly reminded of the last time I wore my cape and how close I had come to my final death.

_Sookie was certainly an interesting asset to Eric Northman._ Temporarily ignoring my surroundings, I chuckled remembering her brave rescue that evening.

Eric's eyes fixed on mine as he observed my odd behavior. He regarded me for a moment and I gave him a stiff nod to let him know things were in control at the club, raising my eyebrow as if to question why he was back so early. Nodding back abruptly, he stalked off past the bar, and down the hallway to his temporary office. He was sharing a room with Clancy, the bar manager, while I utilized his office for my own purposes.

Having successfully implemented new sheriffs in all of the areas, my job was nearly finished, and it seemed he would soon have his office back. I felt a slight sadness when I considered that fact. No longer being in Louisiana meant no longer being a part of Sookie's immediate protection. Perhaps I was being overzealous in my desire to protect the girl, but there was something in her eyes that spurred it on.

And Eric had been far too willing to agree with me when I suggested the formal protection… it had all happened so fast. I found our fates intertwined in a way I had never experienced with a human before. Of course it was not unheard of… often in the past, members of human royalty or legislation were let in our secret and fell under our protection due to the formation of a mutual agreement. Although the arrangements typically were of more benefit to vampires than their human counterparts; we did have the advantage of being slightly more _influential._

But it had never been like this, not with an asset. _Although an asset had never saved my life before_. _Humans I paid as guards, yes. A petite southern girl? no._

Yes, I had considered she didn't _intend_ to save me that night; it was Eric she returned for. Nonetheless, she had, and I owed her for that.

Technically, she should be considered a part of my retinue – since she was acquired by Sophie Anne, and all of Sophie Anne's assets became mine with the takeover… but I felt I owed her that much – I owed her the choice. If I was going to request her services in the future, I would do so as graciously as possible, making sure to describe the job to the best of my ability, always paying fairly… and always providing her with the option to say no. I was not used to people saying 'no' and surprisingly, I was feeling up to the challenge.

I watched as Eric returned from his 'office' and paced the length of the club, shrugging off fangbangers as he looked for Pam. I could be mistaken – but he looked… hungry.

While there was no doubt in my mind he could have _pleased_ Sookie in the short amount of time he was gone, I couldn't help but think of his return as a waste. In his place, I would have made the intended point _very clear_, by articulating it _several times_.

I had already let him know I was happy to assume his position for the _entire_ evening. Was he not grateful? And then the thought struck me,

_Perhaps the girl was not interested in his advances?_

It was too good to be true. I watched Eric intently, observing his mannerisms as he spoke with Pam. Sliding off of the throne, I walked purposefully toward them, not bothering a glance at the throng of people parting as I walked past, but still painfully aware of their admiration.

It seems even without my title being made known, others still hold me in reverence – interesting… must be the throne. I tucked away this piece of insight about my new sheriff.

Eric was unhappy to see me approaching, though it appeared Pam was holding back a sly smile in anticipation.

"My office?" I suggested, although it wasn't really a suggestion.

"All right," he replied, indicating to Pam with a simple hand gesture that she was to stay behind.

.

"Things went as you planned?" I inquired when he shut the door behind him.

"Yes, your highness."

"Please Eric, no need for formalities here. Tell me how she reacted?"

"As I thought she would, the rest I'm sure she would expect me to keep private."

"You shared blood?" I asked even though I was sure I already knew the answer.

"Not tonight," he said with a blank expression.

At least he was honest. Eric was clearly growing tired of my presence although he didn't vocalize it. A fact that pleased me greatly; Eric respected authority, I would show him the same respect. _If Sookie came with me of her own free will, there would be little he could do to stop her._

"That will be all, thank you," I said in dismissal.

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Tuesday

**Sookie's POV**

Rolling out of bed, I reached for my flickering cell phone – I had a new text message. It was from Eric… nothing really interesting, and surprisingly nothing too suggestive – it seemed like it was just enough to keep in contact… _As if I could forget about him in a week?_I had received a few each night since we last saw each other.

With the way he was conducting himself, I had the odd feeling Eric was following some sort of dating protocol, and wondered if Pam was instructing him, taking cues from her beloved Dear Abby. _Should I be flattered? I really don't know. The whole thing feels really weird._ _I hope he isn't doing this because he thinks it's what I want. Although, to be honest… I really don't know what I want. But I don't think it's this. _

Even though the sun was up and I knew he wouldn't get it straight away, I responded to his text message; I might forget otherwise.

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Looking forward to a nice quiet morning at Merlotte's and a day of shopping with Claudine, I hopped in the shower.

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As I was walking out of Merlotte's, my cell phone rang – Claudine.

"Hey Claudine, what's going on?"

"Hey Sookie, there isn't that much going on… but do you mind if we reschedule for today?"

_I did, but it was rude to say something like that... I couldn't really tell her that I had spent the last few days with only today to look forward to, or that I really needed her help because I had no one else to turn to. Not her problem, I guess. I should be grateful she was helping at all. _

"Sure Claudine, not a problem. Do you know what day you'd like to reschedule for?" I asked, trying not to sound overeager.

"Hmm…" she paused, "Can we just try again next Tuesday? You can stay over again – I'll tell Claude and we can make a sleepover of it?"

"Sure," I said, trying not to let my disappointment through.

"You could call Claude?" she offered, "he is at the club now working on a few things, but I think he's free later in the evening?"

"Thanks," I said, thinking that I would rather not.

"Thanks Sookie! See you Tuesday!"

"Bye Claudine!"

"Bye!"

Not letting it get me down, (I had an extra $350 dollars in my pocket this week, not including the money I earned from my new job placing orders for Sam - that went straight to the bank! - this was all tips and overtime hours), I placed a call to my house.

"Hello"

"Amelia?"

"Yep."

"Want to go shopping at the mall in Monroe?"

"I'd love to, but I'm meeting Tray at his shop in an hour for lunch. No one else is in today and he's been promising for weeks that we could… uhh, maybe you don't want to know? but, I won't be home tonight. Anyway, I thought you were meeting Claudine at the mall? You've been talking about it all week."

"Yeah, I was… she had to cancel."

"Aww, I'm sorry to hear it Sook. Look… I could uhh… come home."

"No, that's all right Amelia, but thanks for offering! I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure will!" she said cheerfully.

I contemplated driving to the mall to spend my hard earned money alone, but quickly decided against it. _Save it for next week, _I thought.

.

I went home and snuggled up with a good book, reflecting deeply about someone else's life for a change – although not too deeply, I didn't need a tragic mystery to consider, a sweet well written romance did me just fine… some scenes I read twice. Only stopping in the middle for lunch and dinner, I read until I fell asleep – my book still on my lap.

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**Finn's POV**

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When I went to collect her that evening, she wasn't in her bedroom. Finding only one witch when I scanned, I decided to risk a walk around the house.

Sookie was curled up awkwardly on the couch… the couch where she had so tenderly seen to my wounds just weeks earlier when she believed I was an injured werewolf.

Of course she didn't know I wasn't a werewolf, a fact I sorely wished I could change. If I wasn't vaguely aware of Niall's interest in her, I would not have hidden my magnificence from her – _but then why would I have bothered with her at all?_

Her long legs were twisted around each other, threatening to fall off the couch with one small movement. One of her arms was sweeping the floor, absently twitching in time with her breathing and the other was bent so that her hand was tangled in her hair by her ear. There was an open book on her lap. Picking up the book, I glanced at the cover. There was a strong burly looking Irish man on the cover with a rogue face and green eyes. _Had I inspired her choice? I was muscular and strong, though far from burly, all fairies were rather slender… but his other features (though not as perfect) were vaguely reminiscent._

I chucked at the thought. Sookie gasped, taking a quick uneven breath, pulling her left arm off the ground and tangling her hand in her hair like the other. She scrunched them slightly, teasing her hair while her bottom lip dropped and her chest rose with the deep breath. My eyes didn't know where to look. Standing there thunderstruck by her smallest movements, I dropped the book – and like that she was awake.

"Finn?" she questioned through tired eyes.

"Yes, Sookie?"

"Where are we?"

"Wherever you want to be."

"I'm happy right here," she said, figuring out we were in her living room.

Looking deeply in her eyes as a distraction, I changed some things around the room so the scene wasn't as close to reality – which it in fact was.

"What would you like to do then?" I asked her.

"Nothing really," she said.

_Great, she's so much fun today. _

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I don't even know why I'm dreaming you. Maybe because I was lonely today… but I just need a friend, not another gorgeous man."

I wondered if she would be this honest with me if she knew this wasn't a dream… I would accept the compliment either way.

"You don't like me? I'm deeply hurt," I said in mock offence.

She smiled at that, her lips curling up at the edges playfully as she pushed herself up on her elbows, drew her knees up, and scooted to one side of the couch. Sitting down in the vacated spot, I raised an eyebrow, my question still stood.

"I like you," she said tentatively, "I just don't understand why I've made you up."

"All the other men in your life must be worthless," I stated as if it were a fact.

"No, just difficult… confusing I suppose is a better word," she said with a sigh.

I reached out to pull her into my lap; she let me.

She nuzzled her face against me, settling in the crook where my shoulder met my chest; I wrapped my arms around her.

"I like that you're warm, and you have a heartbeat," she said absently, drawing little circles with her finger on my chest.

Her finger ran across one of my hard nipples and she squealed in surprise, clamoring to get off of my lap.

Holding her tighter, I whispered, "Not so fast."

Meeting her eyes, I could tell she was nervous.

Trying to lighten the mood, I said, "If you tease all the men in your life the way you do me, and then run away when they show interest… I think I've found the answer to your problem."

Loosening my grip, I thought _if she wants to run, she could run_. _I enjoy chasing her._ She didn't disappoint. Preferring that she not wake up her housemate, I caught her quickly and popped us to the birch forest on my property – where conveniently, we would have more room for running.

Before we left, I set her house back to rights and altered her memory – she now thought we ran through the kitchen and straight into the woods.

.

Setting her down, I whispered my last _suggestion_ against her ear, "Go ahead, run."

With hair flying behind her, she ran with a start, jumping over rocks and exposed tree roots as if she had grown up in the forest – it was a beautiful sight. I was almost worried by how fast she was running, until I heard her feet stop, distinct laughter echoing through the forest. That was my cue to run after her.

The sky took it as a cue to start raining. Lightly at first, and I found amusement in it as her dress started to cling to her legs as she ran. Then as the rain suddenly came down harder, I heard her shriek and then silence – I could no longer hear her rustling around in the undergrowth.

Listening keenly to her soft footsteps, I followed the sound until even those were silent. Glancing around, I heard a giggle. My eyes tracked the sound. She was sitting in a tree, her legs dangling playfully, arms clutching the branches forming the y shaped split in the tree she was nestled in, head tilted up to the sky… welcoming the rain on her face.

"How did you get up there?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's a dream. I don't have to explain it," she replied reasonably.

"Do you feel like coming down?" I shouted over the rain.

"Not really, I like it up here," she said with a genuine smile.

"Can I come up?" I asked unsure of why I was bothering with her permission.

_If she could get herself up into a tree by unknown means – I sure could too._

"I don't know that there's room u…," she started to say.

Before she could finish, I made room, fitting myself around her, then adjusting her so she was sitting across my lap, her legs crossed following the curve of one branch, her back resting against the other.

"I guess there is," she corrected herself with a laugh.

"Never doubt me," I said in all seriousness, adding another "Never" quietly for emphasis.

She made a noise that sounded something like "Nu uh."

"You are in agreement?"

"Yeah," she said softly poking me in the stomach.

"What was that for?"

"It's a dream, I told you – I don't have to explain myself."

"I wish you were 'not explaining' passionate kisses rather than irksome jabs."

"It was only one poke, not irksome jabs or whatever it is you just said… Wait… You wish I was kissing you? Oh… this is too much!" she said as she started laughing her infectious laugh.

Not wanting to waste any time that day healing her, I gripped her steadily, although she wasn't aware of it – a fall would hurt very very much.

"Why don't we go inside?" I suggested. The forest was one of my favorite places in any world, but I wasn't in the habit of staying outside in the pouring rain.

"Inside where?"

"My castle of course," I said casually.

"Of course my fairy prince would have a castle," she said mockingly.

"I like the sound of that," I hinted subtly. _She was all too right._

"All right then my prince, take me to your castle," she said with an enthusiastic yet slightly sarcastic laugh.

"As you wish," I said as I bundled her against my chest and jumped down from the tree.

"Wow," she said, her wide eyes regarding me.

"I deserve a kiss for such an impressive act, no?"

"Let's see the castle," she joked.

Struggling to carry her in my arms as I walked through the forest, I found myself at a loss. It wasn't that she was heavy or awkward to hold – she fit in my arms perfectly. The rain just made her so **slippery**, it was infuriating – I couldn't get her where I wanted.

With each readjust she insisted she was more than capable of walking, but once I put my mind to something I finished it. Make no mistakes about it – nothing got in my way.

I was tempted to pop us both inside, but for some reason I didn't want to fill discontinuities with lies. _Holes lead to lies, lies lead to more lies, more lies lead to complication, we didn't need any more complications,_ I reasoned with myself.

_We are going to have to do this the hard way_, I thought to myself. _Or maybe not…_ I thought as I slung her over my shoulder, gripping her legs against my chest. _Yes, this works just fine and the view isn't too bad either. _

"Finn! Put me down, I swear I can walk. You can't carry me around like a piece of meat. Finn!" she shrieked, beating her fists against my back.

"Shh, my fairy princess. We're almost there," I reassured her.

"Why can't I ever get anyone to listen to me?" she cried before muttering, "not in my life, not in my dreams…"

"I listen to you, just not when you argue with me when I clearly know what is better for you."

"You don't get to decide, only I get to decide what is 'better' for me – no one else."

"In a perfect world," I mumbled the famous human saying.

She ignored me, complaining the rest of the way home, although only half-heartedly by the end. _We were getting somewhere._

I waited until we got inside before I released her. I had planned to put her down when the castle was in sight so I could see her face, but there would be another time for that. The girl was stubborn and I needed to prove a point.

She scrambled away from me into the hallway and I laughed.

"Do you know where you are going? Have you not had enough running for one day?"

"Do you have a bathroom?" she asked politely.

_Charming._ "I have many bathrooms."

"Just one will do, the closest?" she offered.

"Nonsense, I'll take you to the best one," I said with a wink, escorting her toward my room.

I showed her where the toiletries were, how to work the shower, and provided her with some of my dry clothing to change into.

I could have easily apparated something in her own size and style for her to wear, but knowing how much women liked to wear men's clothing - I had a feeling it would be an intelligent, strategic move to provide her with my own.

Chuckling when I heard the lock on the bathroom door click, I dried myself off and put clean, dry clothing on. I would respect her wish not to join her in the shower – _this time anyway. _

I had little remaining hope that 'dream' Sookie would be any less modest than real Sookie… but at least she was consistent and honest - both honorable traits. She would no doubt take some cajoling. _I do love a good challenge._

.

Sookie walked out of the bathroom in one of my black dress shirts, tugging lightly at the hems, _ah human modesty…_ Looking down at her legs, I couldn't help but smile noticing she had pulled my argyle socks up over her knees.

"What have you done Sookie?" I chided.

"I… what?" she looked at me anxiously.

I walked toward her and knelt in front of her, rolling the socks down below her knees, kissing each in turn as I did.

"You have beautiful knees, you should never cover them up."

She blushed; I could feel the heat coursing through her, radiating from her. She took a step backward awkwardly, but left the socks rolled down.

Walking toward the mirror, she pulled her fingers through her tangled hair.

Retrieving a brush from the bathroom, I walked over to the bed and called her over. She responded, hesitantly walking over to sit on the edge of the bed, allowing me to brush her hair.

Asking the inevitable questions that had to be seen to that day, she told me about her two witch friends and the vampires she consorted with.

Having never heard of such a thing, I was concerned when she told me that the vampire king of Nevada, Louisiana, and Arkansas had pledged allegiance to her. However, it explained the vampires surrounding her house at night, I would have to be more careful – _particularly around Northman, he is a very old, very powerful vampire… and more importantly, would recognize me instantly_. Saturday night visits were essentially ruled out.

This sparked a conversation about their 'relationship' and spiraled into a discussion of the other men in her life; there were surprisingly few. I knew of Quinn, though not personally. I assured her she had done the right thing where he was concerned, nearly spitting out how disgusting were-animals were, reigning myself back just in time. I had never heard of Compton... he barely sounded worthy of my consideration. _If I consider him again in the future, it will only be to decide how to best be rid of him. _

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Her hair was nearly dry when she cozied up against my chest, the action not lost on me – my shirt was riding up her legs.

"I'm really tired again," she said with a yawn.

"Running…" I replied weakly, my own mind slightly weary.

"Yeah," she agreed with a sigh.

"I think we need to devise other, more creative, ways to tire you out." I said with a small smile.

She hid her face with her hands; I presumed that there was a smile hidden behind them. My suspicion was confirmed when she allowed me to pull them away from her pretty face.

"That's too beautiful to hide," I mumbled, pulling her back to me.

We lay back on the bed, readjusting slightly, too fatigued to move much.

The sound of her breathing as she slept was all too relaxing…

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"Finn…" she said as she shook me gently, smiling down at me.

"My princess," I said softly, returning her smile.

"It's a strange feeling to go to sleep and then 'wake up' in a dream," she said matter-of-factly.

"huh?" I said before I used another common human phrase, _Fuck!_

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A/N Thanks Holly for my word of inspiration this chapter, slippery! :)

Reviews are really helpful if you have a second! Thank you!!


	21. Amelia's Injury

A/N Still in Dead and Gone dreamland over here, haven't wrapped my head around everything yet.

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**A passage from Chapter 18 that will be important to remember for this chapter (from when she fell on her bum outside Jack's) **

His confidence unwavering, he took two short strides toward me and offered me a hand.

"Thanks," I said as I took his hand.

He placed his other hand under my elbow to guide me up.

"It's not every day one runs into a real life damsel in distress," he chuckled.

"I assure you sir, I am no such thing. Now if you'll excuse me, I am very late for an appointment," I said honestly, not intending to sound rude.

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**And where I left off last chapter:**

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"Finn…" she said as she shook me gently, smiling down at me.

"My princess," I said softly, returning her smile.

"It's a strange feeling to go to sleep and then 'wake up' in a dream," she said matter-of-factly.

"huh?" I said before I used another common human phrase, _Fuck!_

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Wednesday

**Finn's POV**

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To her credit, she didn't leap away, she simply continued to smile as she regarded me, her expression transforming subtly with curiosity. There were little crinkles in the skin of her forehead, her brilliant blue eyes sparkled intensely, and the smallest bit of tongue peeked out from the corner of her mouth. For a brief moment, her entire face was wrapped up in the expression - everywhere I looked there were signs of puzzlement.

And then… it disappeared, her tongue slid innocuously across her lips before being drawn back between them.

'_Come back out and play,'_ I wanted to whisper.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked, her face neutral.

_No, not really. Please pull that face again, _I thought.

Staring at the wet sheen her tongue left behind on her lips, I answered confidently, "No. Is there something you want to tell me? This is your dream."

"Is it really?" she questioned with a feisty grin.

Amused that she wasn't afraid, I called her bluff, answering innocently, "Sookie, I insist. Only _you _would know, _you_ tell _me_."

"I think you have some explaining to do Finn."

"Perhaps," I replied noncommittally, sneaking a small smile in at the end to tease her.

"Now?" she demanded, her attempt at seriousness lacking persuasion - she was unable to suppress her smile.

Stealing a glance out the window at the position of the sun, my fears were confirmed - I knew what my answer had to be.

"No time," I said with a deep sigh, meeting her stare.

Just seconds into her next sentence, she stopped dead, her eyes glassy.

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"In time, all in good time," I whispered as I rocked her in my lap, stroking her hair… filling her head with lies.

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**Sookie's POV**

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I could hear Amelia calling me from the kitchen. She opened the porch door, and continued shouting out into the yard - anxiety straining her voice. The thoughts she was projecting were completely unreasonable.

_For heaven sakes Amelia, did you not think to check my bedroom first?_

"Amelia?" I called out, scrambling out of bed.

No response.

Running through the kitchen in my bare feet, I called again, "Amelia?"

Nothing. I couldn't hear her anymore; I couldn't 'hear' her either…

"Amelia?" I said again tentatively, opening the door.

Walking down the back stairs, I had a strange desire to be carrying a weapon of some description – any would do. Although perhaps the desire wasn't too out of place, considering. I edged my way across the yard, keeping my back to the house.

"Oh! Amelia!" I screamed when I saw her lying on the ground by the garden shed.

Running toward her, I felt her thoughts flood my mind; I had never been happier to hear them.

I was torn between concern and accusation, I didn't know what to say first.

_What was she doing out here looking for me? Was she okay? Wasn't she supposed to be with Tray? Could she have broken something? Should I move her, call an ambulance? _And then it hit me – the guilt. _Was this somehow my fault? _

Luckily, she made the decision for me, by sitting up, her hands against the sides of her face, checking for cuts, bruises, swelling.

_Oh Amelia, poor thing. I know the feeling all too well. She won't be too unhappy when she sees herself in front of a mirror… I think I see a little goose egg forming at her temple, but other than that, No, thank god, she appears to be all right. _

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to continue the assessment myself without crowding her.

"Yeah, I think so. I just… I was looking for you, I think I slipped. The grass is a bit slick. I wasn't paying enough attention."

"Why were you looking for me _outside_? I was in my room, didn't you think to check my room?"

"Uhh…" she started, thoroughly confused.

Her mind as whirling a million miles a minute, I couldn't grasp any particular thought – they weren't hanging around long enough.

"I really don't know Sooks, I guess something made me think you might be out gardening today. I'm sorry," she said with a small shrug, her face streaked with pain by even the smallest movement.

"Amelia, I think we should take you to a doctor."

"No… it's okay. I'm just sore. Nothing is broken, trust me – I'd know."

She was running through all of her previous injuries in her mind. _Wow, there were quite a few. _

I got flashes of Amelia in various casts throughout her childhood… the most adorable of which was of a pleasant little girl with hair parted down the middle in long braids, Amelia, laughing through tear stained cheeks, asking with a slight lisp (no doubt a result of her missing front teeth) for the lime green cast this time. The boys had teased her, her last cast had been purple and she really wanted to impress this time. She had fallen from a tree after retrieving a remote control airplane - she wanted to continue to be the hero.

There were fewer casts as she grew up – she had learned how to heal with she hadn't learned how to avoid getting hurt in the first place… though it seemed she no longer went on skiing vacations.

_Smart move, _I thought. _Maybe my witchy roommate is a bit accident-prone?_ _Even with all of the trouble I've gotten myself into… I've never had so many broken bones. _

But then again… perhaps, I had, and just not realized it. Vampire blood had healed me when my broken bone counts would have been highest – I never had a chance to count. Nor did I want to… quantifying the pain wouldn't help anything.

After the sneak peek into Amelia's mind, I was assured she could get away with no medical attention.

"Can I get you anything from the house?" I asked vaguely, referring to her 'supplies.'

"No, that's okay Sook. I might try something later if this bump on my head threatens to worsen, but right now it hardly seems worthy of magic."

With that understood, we walked back into the house, Amelia leaning against me slightly until she got her footing. I started to cook breakfast as Amelia sat at the kitchen table, shuffling her feet aimlessly.

"So, you want to tell me what are you doing here?" I asked with obvious interest.

"I felt bad about yesterday, I thought if you wanted to, we could go to the mall in Monroe today. I heard back this morning; I got the job doing paperwork at the Insurance company. You remember when I applied?"

I nodded.

"Well, I figured there would be some extra money coming in soon, a little shopping couldn't hurt."

"Are you up to it? Are you sure you don't want to rest today?"

"I just slipped Sooks, don't be silly. The grass is a little wet, especially in that spot where I fell… you know by the shed? I think the water must have pooled there from the rain last night…"

"It rained last night?" I asked abruptly.

"Yeah, why? Didn't you hear it?"

"No, I don't remember it," I said, thinking it odd that I had slept through a rainstorm with a tin roof over my head.

"I did dream that it was raining," I mused softly, mostly to myself… though Amelia overheard me.

"What do you mean raining? Raining men?" Amelia asked with a snicker.

"No, Amelia! Not men," I said with a laugh, placing a breakfast plate in front of her.

"There were no men?" she said with a slight frown.

"There was _a_ man," I said honestly.

"Well?"

She looked at me expectantly.

"Amelia, there isn't anything to tell, _honest_. It's really too soon to do… umm… 'things' with Eric," I said carefully, looking to Amelia for recognition.

She grinned – she knew.

"Well, you know," I said in acknowledgment before continuing, "no matter how much I may want to… it's too soon. My mind is simply filling the time in between."

"So, you _will_ have sex with Eric? Can I ask what exactly you are waiting for?"

"Amelia!"

"Sorry, sorry."

She sure didn't look sorry.

"I don't know, I just know I have to wait. I feel it. It doesn't feel right yet, although when we are close…" I said, letting out a tortured sigh.

"So you're having sex with another man in your dreams?"

_Amelia – ever the blunt participant in any conversation._

"No, we… well, no. That hasn't exactly happened yet."

"Yet?" she quirked an eyebrow at me as she bit into a piece of bacon.

"I don't know if it will. He's really sweet to me, you know? I've never felt anything like it. He takes his time with things…" I paused, "but he is far from dull," I added quickly in his defense.

"You don't have to tell me, I've seen your face when you've woken up from one of these 'dreams.' Trust me, you did not look _bored._ Ah, and there it goes again – Sookie, you are blushing."

"I am?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

I could feel it everywhere, particularly between my legs.

"Sooks, if these dreams are any kind of replacement for Eric, you _need_ to tell me about them!" she said with sincerity.

"Amelia, I can't let it mean anything. They are just dreams, I'll enjoy them while they last… but I refuse to discuss this at length, it won't do any good."

'_Whoa, no need to overreact! Calm down. We were just having fun.'_ I picked up from Amelia.

"Sure, Sookie," was all she said, admitting defeat.

"Thanks for understanding," I said, though I knew she had plans to bring it up again.

"Can I take your plate?" I asked.

"Sure, thank you."

After washing up quickly, we both retreated to our separate rooms to shower and get dressed. We had shopping to do; I was glad for the distraction.

.

.

.

Eight dresses, four pairs of pants, two shirts, and one sweater later, Amelia and I were piling bags in the car. Her stomach grumbled loudly. Mine soon followed.

"You gonna be able to hold up until we get home?" I asked.

"Maybe the food court pizza at lunch just wasn't enough?"

"No," I laughed, feeling the same way.

"I don't really want to go back to the food court," she said.

"Neither do I," I admitted.

"You know of any restaurants in the area?"

I thought about it, I didn't visit Monroe frequently – just to go to the mall really… I enjoyed Bon Temps and everything it offered, although lately I had been feeling more adventurous. There were two places I knew of thanks to my cousins. Okay, technically three, but I was not offering Hooligans as an option!

"Yeah, I've been to two places here that are really nice. An Italian restaurant on Park Avenue… I think I could get us there. And, a pub on North Eighteenth Street, they have amazing desserts."

"Is it bad to already be thinking about dessert when my tummy needs dinner?" Amelia asked with a sweet smile.

"Made your decision then?"

"Oh, yes."

"I may not have mentioned it, but at the Italian restaurant they make their own cannoli, and Claude said their gelato? Am I saying that correctly? is very delicious."

"Sookie, you're killing me. Is there any way we can go to both?"

"Not tonight Amelia, you have to choose," I said, feeling sorry for teasing her, it was a tough decision to make.

I should have left her at her first choice, but it seemed unfair not to bring up some of the good points about Giuseppe's. She was lost in thought, we were both tired and hungry… the decision taking longer than it needed to because of our exhaustion.

"Look, I'm positive I know how to get to North 18th street, I know where to park, and I know exactly where the pub is…"

_I'd memorized all the buildings surrounding it by walking past it three times! Oh, and the good look I got at it when I fell on my butt helps too._

"so I think that's the better choice – it ensures food in our bellies faster than if we get lost on our way to Park Avenue… of course there is also the option of just driving up Pecanland Mall Road and see if anything sticks out at us?"

"No!" she said quickly, "Take me to the pub. I know a good thing when I hear about it, it sounds right to me!"

"All right, let's go then," I said as I started up the car, turning out of the parking garage toward Jack's.

.

.

Walking into the bar, taking in the atmosphere, I couldn't hold back a smile. Neither could Amelia, her eyes drawn immediately to all of the things I found so enticing during my first visit.

For me, this time, the more subtle attributes stood out and I found myself loving it all the more - the place had heart, character, a true presence not many establishments command.

"Holy Smokes," Amelia mumbled.

"Yeah," I said simply as I took her hand, walking over to the abandoned counter.

Just as I was wondering how they could run the place when the host was always gone, he appeared out of nowhere – beating me to the counter once again. _Long legs, an unfair advantage_.

"Sneaky," I uttered, unaware of my volume.

"Yes…" he said with a knowing smile; it was the same young man from the other day.

"Two please," I let slip when I noticed his head tilt.

He hadn't asked us yet, but I was slightly flustered that he heard me call him sneaky and I took his slight inclination toward the dining room at face value. At least that's what I hoped he would think. It's not that I mind people knowing I'm a telepath, I just prefer not to scare anyone away before they get a chance to know me. Not that I had any great plans to befriend this young man, but still… I hate starting off on the wrong foot – and that's how most people take my gift… wrong.

He looked slightly surprised, but didn't say anything other than, "This way please."

He was cordial, friendly even, as he handed us our menus, telling us what he had for dinner that night – and what was fresh that evening.

To my surprise, our discussion didn't end abruptly when new customers arrived… he rather skillfully finished his thought and excused himself to return to his station – long legs yet again getting him there in just a few strides.

_Impressive._ But before I could think another thought, our waitress was standing next to our table, ready to introduce herself.

"Hi y'all, my name is Melanie. Can I get you some drinks while you look over your menus?"

"I'd love a jack and coke, thanks," Amelia said to the waitress.

"Umm, a screwdriver please?" I offered.

"Of course miss, that's an easy one," she said with a wink.

.

When she returned with our drinks, she let me know Marie was in and wondered if she could have a quick word with me. Looking over at Amelia, and then back to the waitress, I said "Sure," with a smile.

"She's in her office?" I inquired.

"Yes, that's right," she said pointing to the door just in case I forgot.

I was glad for the confirmation. "Thanks!"

.

Knocking on the door, I heard her soft voice radiating from inside, "Come in," she said.

"Don't get up," I said quickly as I opened the door.

"Sweetheart, I don't think I could if I tried," she laughed affectionately, "Brian has been helping me to my car at night."

Her face lost its smile, "I don't know how much longer I'll be able to drive. It may be amusing trying to get in the car… but it's even harder getting out. There isn't always someone at home to help me, Scott works strange hours sometimes."

A flicker of pity or sadness must have crossed my face.

"Don't you go feeling bad for me, I got myself into this state (ha!) and I'm quite pleased with it actually, well most of the time. I could do without the indigestion and the kicking fits."

She was smiling again.

Remembering that Amelia was waiting for me, I asked, "There was something you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh, shoot, right. Of course. You are probably here with someone. I just thought I'd grab you while I had a chance. I've been pretty forgetful lately, which is really awful in my line of work."

"It's okay, I can imagine you've had other things to think about."

"Yes," she said with a smile.

.

Five minutes later, after we had sorted out a few remaining details, I returned to the table to find Amelia and the host chatting away.

"Sookie, this is Brian," Amelia said in introduction.

"And he already knows who you are," she continued _tactfully_.

"Yes, I've been here before, he seated me," I agreed.

"Nice to meet you Brian," I said, turning my attention to the young man with the mop of messy, but clearly styled, brown hair.

I had to assume he was over 18 to be working in a restaurant that served alcohol, but if he was… it was just barely - though he seemed to have a pretty good grasp of the way the bar ran.

Remembering my manners, I held out my hand.

"Nice to see you again miss," he said, shaking my hand briefly before beginning his inevitable walk back to the front counter.

"Amelia, I saw the way you were talking to him - you are such a flirt! Do you even know how old he is?! I thought things were getting serious with Tray?"

"They are Sook, but it doesn't mean a girl can't be nice. And for your information he just turned 20 last month."

_Of course she would ask. _I was trying my hardest to stifle a laugh. It wasn't working very well.

"All this is interesting coming from you – does dream lover know about Eric?" she teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes. He does. We've discussed the whole issue at length."

_Why do I keep referring to him as if he is real?_

"Not that I'm discussing it with you," I added quickly.

"Oh-kay…" she said, acting uninterested.

_Amelia, you don't fool me! I know what you're thinking. _

"You've had significantly more time to peruse (word of the day!) the menu, what have you decided on?"

"I… umm…" she said, flipping the pages of the menu in a hurry.

"Yes, I see," I said calling her out on her obvious flirting.

.

Before our dinner came, I placed a quick call to Eric to let him know my whereabouts. _I can tell this is going to get old fast. _

"My lover, your tender heart could not wait until Saturday? It would be my pleasure to…"

"Yes, Hello Eric. Look, I didn't call to… talk (_or throw around sexual innuendos)._ I'm having dinner in Monroe, can you tell…"

"I will have Pam call him. Do you know when you will be home?"

"2, maybe 3 hours?"

"A little vague."

"Eric…"

"It will do."

"Goodbye"

"Who are you with?"

"Is it really your concern?"

"If I have to file paperwork when you get yourself in trouble, it will be."

"Amelia, I'm with Amelia, okay?"

"That is fine. See you Saturday," he said with unmistakable lust.

"Yep, see you then."

.

Our batteries fully recharged after eating dinner _and_ dessert, Amelia and I rocked in our seats while we talked, dancing to the smooth music coming from one of the upper levels.

When Melanie came by with the check, Amelia asked, "Is there some sort of dance club upstairs?"

"It's part of the restaurant, you girls should head on up. There's a full bar. It's very nice."

"Thanks Melanie, we might do that," Amelia said as she handed over her debit card to take care of the bill.

"Amelia, you can't. Please let me give you some money for my half of dinner."

"Nonsense, you drove. Don't make me throw this plate at you."

We both laughed.

"Okay then, thank you so much for dinner."

"Welcome Sook, you ready to dance?"

"I don't know if we have time… I told Eric I'd be home in less than three hours, it's already been about an hour, and it takes another hour just to get home…"

"So call him back and tell him you'll be another hour or two."

"I don't think it works like that."

"It's your life."

"I know, you're right. I will get this sorted out. I just haven't had time. Okay, let's dance. No more than an hour, okay?"

"Sure," she said, signing the slip the waitress brought back.

.

.

An hour later, we were shimmying and shaking, mostly dancing with each other, men occasionally trying to ease their way between us. It was all in good fun, and fortunately, Amelia was good at scaring away anyone who got handsy.

Until one man, who had clearly had too much to drink, kept pawing at my skirt.

"I don't think so," I said boldly, stepping away from him toward Amelia, who had gone to the bar to get us some club sodas.

He refused to let up.

"Amelia?" I called out, but she was still too far away.

I was just about to sock him one right in the jaw, when someone came along and did it for me.

"You were saying?" he said. _'about not being a damsel in distress,' _his mind continued.

"Yes, well, it's nice to see that this time you've chosen someone deserving to knock on their ass."

"You didn't deserve it?" he asked casually, tucking a long strand of blonde hair behind his ear.

"No."

"I guess I owe you an apology then?"

"Not really. I couldn't care less."

"Interesting," he said before hoisting the drunken man up off the floor and disappearing into the crowd.

.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" Amelia asked.

A question one always asks expecting the answer to be 'no.'

"Yes."

"What?"

"Some drunk guy wouldn't listen when I said no. Don't worry, he's gone now."

"Well that's good," she said, clinking her glass against mine.

"I think maybe it's time to go," I said as I sipped my drink.

"Really? We're just getting warmed up. Can't you call Eric and tell him we'll just be a few more hours? What's the worst thing that could happen – he shows up here himself? That might not be so bad. I'm beginning to think you're in serious need of 6'5" of Viking… and the way you dance, girl, I know he couldn't resist you."

"Amelia, it's not like that. And trust me – that isn't the worst thing that could happen."

"What? You think he'd send Bill here?"

"Among other things, yes that's in the worse column."

And it is exactly what Eric did.

.

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A/N Thank you for reading!! Thoughts?


	22. Bill Breaks up the Fun

A/N To Heather who gave me the idea for this chapter: Thank you! :)

And many many thanks to everyone else for their reviews/messages too, they give me so many ideas!

.

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**A passage from Chapter 15 that's referred to in this one (Eric and Sookie when she visited Fangtasia with Pam)**

"Do you not wish to be alone with me?" he asked seductively.

"Eric… I…"

"Do you not desire the feeling of my lips and tongue against…" he paused, watching me intently "…yours as much as I do?"

My knees were turning to jelly; I started to sway.

"Eric," I croaked out, barely audible.

His other hand reached for my hair, his fingers tangling through the curls – the pins which were holding it in place fell uselessly to the floor.

I stared at him helplessly as he moved the hand under my chin around my waist posessively and drew me closer to him. I was pressed firmly against his side, his hard muscular thigh between my legs creating friction between my dress and most sensitive area, my nipples hardening at the feel of his cool chest.

Feeling my body buzz in anticipation, I parted my lips and closed my eyes softly. A moan escaped my mouth as I leaned backward into his strong arm arching myself against his leg.

.

.

.

**And where it left off last time… **

"What? You think he'd send Bill here?"

"Among other things, yes that's in the worse column."

And it is exactly what Eric did.

.

.

.

"Sookie," I heard from behind me, instantly knowing whom it was.

"Bill," I replied coolly without turning to face him.

"What are you doing?" he asked, moving to the left to attain a better view of my face.

"Dancing with Amelia, Bill. What are you doing?"

"You weren't only dancing with Amelia," he stated brusquely.

"No," I admitted unabashedly.

"Eric wouldn't like it."

"Bill, don't you give me that, _you_ don't like it. You can say it. What I choose to do with _my_ life won't change simply because you say it comes from Eric. If you think it will, you never really knew me at all."

Even in the darkness, I could see his eyes cast downward; I felt a twinge of guilt.

"Bill, I'm sorry. I know Eric sent you. I shouldn't have… Come on Amelia, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah Sook, I'm okay to go home."

.

.

His confidence having returned by the time we got to the car, Bill stated, "Sookie, you will come with me. I will drive you home. Amelia can follow in your car."

My eyes were shooting daggers, and he added quickly, "Is that all right with you Amelia?"

Amelia nodded.

"Amelia?" I questioned.

"Maybe it's best Sook," she offered kindly, leaving the option in my hands.

"No, I'll take my own car."

"Fine, but you will stop when the traffic lamps are yellow and check regularly to make sure I am behind you. If something happens, you are not the only one who will be held accountable."

"Fine."

.

The trip home was mostly silent; I was stewing over the last thing Bill said to me.

.

.

Before getting out of the car, I turned to Amelia and said, "I'm just going to have a word with Bill, and I'll be inside in a minute, okay?"

"Sure Sook, let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks."

.

Bill watched Amelia walk up the stairs to the house, perplexed as to why I wasn't following. I approached him slowly.

"You know what you said about being held accountable?"

"Yes, and I apologize. The formal protection means nothing to me, I choose freely to fight for you Sookie, nothing changed when I signed the agreement, and nothing ever will."

"You had to sign something?"

"Yes, we all did. The few that refused had to leave."

"Leave?"

"They may no longer reside in Felipe's territories," he explained simply.

"How do I get out of this?"

"Out of this?" he asked incredulous.

"Yes Bill, I don't want this."

"You would have to discuss this matter with Eric or the King."

"Who would be better?" I asked, shooting him a look that said 'make you answer brief and straight to the point.'

Acknowledging my look, he nodded quickly before responding, "The direct method would be to go to Felipe de Castro with your appeal… although I can'…"

I cut him off with a curt, "Thank you."

Reaching in my handbag, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number for Fangtasia.

.

.

After a brief word with my favorite vampire, Clancy, the phone was handed over abruptly to another person, whom I could only hope was Felipe de Castro.

"Hello," he answered politely - my first indication that he was not a Fangtasia employee.

"Mr. de Castro?"

"Yes, do I have the honor of speaking with Miss Sookie Stackhouse?"

"You do," I said through gritted teeth.

"Well then, brilliant. How may I offer my services to you?"

"That is exactly what I would like to speak to you about, _your services_. I find myself no longer requiring them, thank you."

"You decline my gift?"

"Your _gift_ is really getting in the way of my life to be honest, though I appreciate it… your highness," I said in a weak attempt at reverence.

"Remember, no need for titles Sookie. You know, I do find your honesty refreshing," he said with a familiar chuckle.

His tone suddenly turning serious, he continued, "You must understand, you are a valuable asset to the vampires of Louisiana, Nevada, and Arkansas. I know you do not like the term asset, but I cannot deny the fact that you are. And we are not in the habit of releasing assets…"

I bit my tongue; it was taking everything I had to hold back. I knew my situation could be worse, that this conversation was only being had because he found some sort of humor in my plight.

"However, I consider myself a modern vampire and I do find myself sympathetic," he started.

_Did a vampire just use the word sympathetic?_

"You will need to visit Fangtasia and sign the appropriate forms, formally declining our protection. However, know that I will not be pleased by that choice, though it remains yours to make. Also, I can assure you, Sheriff Northman will not be pleased either."

"I can deal with Eric," I said as calmly as possible.

"Yes, I suppose you can," he said with a small laugh, ending with a hint of regret? At least, that is what is sounded like.

"I don't suppose you would consider alternatives?"

"Alternatives?" I questioned, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Yes, in fact I have time this evening to discuss these options if Mr. Compton would kindly escort you to Fangtasia?"

"Bill? Why? I thought we already discussed that?"

Bill shifted, visibly displeased by my intonation.

"I can send someone else to fetch you if believe Mr. Compton is unsuitable. But you must understand, until you sign the paperwork, our original arrangement stands."

"I can sign these papers tonight?"

"Yes," he agreed reluctantly.

"Bill will be fine, thank you Mr. de Castro."

"Felipe, please."

"Right. Thank you Felipe."

"You're very welcome Sookie, I look forward to seeing you shortly. Goodbye."

"Bye."

.

.

Arriving at Fangtasia, I was disappointed when I noticed Pam wasn't at the front door. For some reason, I had a strong desire to see her. We were sort of friends, well as much as a vampire and a human can be friends, and her dry wit always buoyed my spirits. Perhaps I needed a little extra wind in my sails that night.

Ignoring the long line, Bill escorted me to the entrance, letting the bouncer know who we were.

"Just the girl," the bouncer said gruffly, moving aside to let me in the club.

Bill looked to me for consent. I nodded curtly. Surprisingly, he leaned forward, grazing his cool lips across my cheek in a soft kiss before backing off slowly to return to his car.

"Goodnight Sookie," he said softly.

"Goodnight Bill," I returned, barely above a whisper, my heart pulsing rapidly - out of fear or excitement, I didn't know.

Slipping inside the club, my eyes began their search for Pam. Nothing.

As my eyes continued to roam the club, it seemed more and more likely that she had the night off. Even in the sea of black clothing, Pam was hard to miss; her radiant skin gave her away – at least to my eyes.

Eric also stood out, though I think noticing Eric easily had slightly more to do with the large throne he positioned himself on rather than his subtle vampire glow.

And that is exactly where he was that night, glaring at me from a distance.

Eric's glare was so cool, so piercing, that even the fangbangers by his feet backed off slightly. I kept my distance – taking a longer, less direct route to the back office. There was no doubt in my mind he knew why I was at Fangtasia that night, and Felipe was right – he was not pleased.

.

I knocked twice before I heard Felipe's calming voice.

"You are invited inside Sookie."

He smiled at his own joke as he watched me cross the threshold unhindered.

"Please sit," he said warmly, offering the chair in front of the desk.

"Thanks," I said uncomfortably, positioning the seat so it faced the desk more directly.

"You have some papers I can sign?" I asked.

"Yes, yes of course. I have them here. Did you change your mind? You are unwilling to hear the alternatives?"

"Uhh, no. I guess I'll hear them."

"Delightful!" he exclaimed.

"Sure," I said under my breath.

"The first option is of course that you move in to Mr. Northman's residence. Since you are bonded, he does already have certain claims. I would be quite satisfied with that arrangement. Having witnessed the Viking's ability to wield various weapons over the years, I am certain you would be safe; he is quite skilled."

"Wh… What?"

"Your sheriff is quite skilled at utilizing many modern as well as ancient forms of weaponry. He is, of course, best with a sword, but is also incredibly clever without. I have personally seen him take out dozens in just one evening wi…"

"Not what I meant," I interrupted quietly.

"Oh."

"Was this Eric's idea or yours?" I asked, feigning indifference.

"It was mine, but he has agreed to it. That is if you are willing."

"I'm not," I said casually, praying he wouldn't question why I asked whose idea it was. Even if it was Eric's idea, I doubted I would take up the offer. How would I get to work? Not to mention, I could never be sure Eric actually wanted me there. The thought hurt, I hadn't expected it to, but it did.

"Very well. Another option is for you to move to Las Vegas."

I was instantly against it, but continued to ask questions nonetheless. "You live in Las Vegas?"

"Most of the time, yes. Though you would have your _own_ residence."

He said it as if it were truly impressive. _I already have my __**own**__ residence, thank you._

"It would be well equipped with security, but no guards as per your request. You would be a personal employee of mine, and well paid for time spent in the casinos utilizing your ability. We would work out an agreeable schedule beforehand, the hours are flexible. The only exception would be several private business functions held throughout the year, though it won't be necessary for you to attend them all."

"Vampire functions?"

"Yes, you would only be required at the ones where humans are present."

"I'm sorry but I don't see how that is any better than what I have here… and I'd be away from everyone that I know and care about."

"Yes, but you would not be under surveillance. When I said equipped with security, I merely meant alarms and safe rooms."

_Merely?_

"I'd like to keep my life as normal as possible."

"It could become normal," he said defensively.

"In Bon Temps," I clarified.

"Very well. The last option I have prepared is to offer you our protection when required, as decided by you, in exchange for your help with several functions throughout the year."

"I would still be an employee of yours?"

"Yes, although you will be given the choice of which events to attend."

"I wouldn't have to use my telepathy in the casinos?"

"You wouldn't _have_ to, but if you chose to, you would be well paid for any time spent in Vegas. Your accommodations, transportation, and food would be provided."

"Remind me of what I'm getting from this deal."

"Vampire protection or assistance whenever you require it. Well paying jobs should you seek them. And most importantly, in my opinion, the assurance that we will not let vampires from another territory take you for their own uses. Trust me, Sookie, if given the opportunity, they will. Since Rhodes, many more have been made aware of your gift. Not all vampires are as modern as Mr. Northman and I."

He was holding his winning card until the end. _Well played_, I thought, _well played_. In the end, I didn't have much of a choice, although he had offered me several. There was no doubt in my mind that I didn't want things to continue as they were, even though I know Eric had jurisdiction over me. If I wanted my freedom, I would have to make some kind of deal with Felipe that required me to spend more time with him. It was clearly the best option of the four.

"I'll take that last one, I think."

"I thought you might," he said with a doting smile.

"Here are the contracts, please read over them thoroughly. Take them to a lawyer if you have one. Perhaps your sheriff could recommend someone if you don't."

"You already had these prepared?"

"A good vampire is well prepared for whatever comes his way, particularly when dealing with willful young ladies."

"You knew? You knew I wouldn't like being watched over."

"I may have had a _feeling_. Regardless, I gave you a _choice_. You are the only one who can make it. Take more time if you would like, the present arrangement will stand until you decide."

I looked at him with fury in my eyes. The affectionate look on his face serving only to fuel my anger. He was winning no points with me.

In time, I would come to see that he was truly being compassionate – a behavior uncommon among vampires. But at that moment… I could have turned people to stone with the viciousness of my stare.

"I will, take more time that is," I said irritably.

"Very Well," he said, smiling genuinely.

Picking up the contracts, I stormed out of the office, pausing only for a moment when I reached the door to say 'Goodbye' in the most incensed voice I could muster. I swear I heard him chuckling as I departed.

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As I turned the corner into the main portion of the club, I literally slammed into 6'5" of Viking. Falling backwards due to the impact, my hand flew to my nose, which was aching, and it took me a moment to realize Eric's arm was around me supporting my weight.

"I'm quite all right, thank you," I said extricating myself from his grip.

"You would have hit the floor," he said wryly.

"Well, thank you. Perhaps you might want to invest in a bell for around your neck so people have some warning before crashing into a granite wall."

"I have never seen anyone walk through a club so fast. _Perhaps_ if everyone did so, I might be prepared to agree to such a thing."

Staring at him indignantly, I should have been less surprised by his next comment.

"You think my muscles are like stone?"

He smirked. My comment had obviously been taken the wrong way. Leave it to Eric to find a compliment in anything I said.

"Sookie, yes they are hard, but not stone. I will show you, if it pleases you. In fact, there are many hard parts of my body I would like to share with you."

"Don't make that face lover, it is not becoming. I have been told my legs are also quite muscular. I was merely offering to remind you of the great pleasure you seemed to be enjoying the other evening when you visited my club."

"Were you really?"

"Yes," he said, the word rolling off his tongue so seductively I felt my body moving toward him instinctively.

I took a firm step backward when the fog rolled back out of my mind, the shooting pain in my nose bringing me back to reality.

"Eric, I don't have time for this. I have a lot of paperwork to look over," I said, shaking the thick folder in my hand wildly in the air.

"Yes, I see that. Should I be preparing my bed for two this evening?"

"What?? No. And what in the world does preparing ones bed for two even include? Who says that?"

"People who are interested in keeping their lovers satisfied. Of which, I am one. Preparing my bed includes many things," he said with a wicked smile.

"The first of which would be to locate extra blankets – we have different temperature requirements."

"I'm aware," I responded, completely conscious of the temperature difference between our bodies from the time we spent together.

"As am I," he stated, clearly picking up what went unspoken between us.

"Well, you will be glad to know I decided against that option Eric. You can leave your blankets the way they are."

"Why would I be glad by this?"

"Eric, it might seem fun for you to get me into your bed tonight, but what about the next night?"

"I would thoroughly enjoy that night as well."

"Eric… I think you're missing the point. At some point, maybe not the _next_ night, but _some_ night, you will grow tired of the inconvenience."

"Lover, you are never an inconvenience. Come home with me tonight."

"Eric, I work in Bon Temps, I'll always work in Bon Temps, I cannot drive to work from Shreveport four or five days a week," I said incredulous that I was even entertaining the idea.

"Always?" he questioned.

"For the foreseeable future," I acquiesced.

"So then, what did you choose? I _know_ it wasn't to move to Las Vegas," he said confidently.

"No," I admitted.

"I told Felipe you would never choose that option, yet I can see from your face he still offered it."

Eric laughed.

"I hope you told him the idea appalled you."

"I didn't go that far…"

"So, you gave in? The original protection still stands? I will see you on Saturday night? Should I bring blankets or do you still own that wretched afghan?"

"I still own it… but Eric, I don't know if I'll see you on Saturday night, unless you come over of your own accord. I need to get a lawyer to look over this contract, but as soon as I do I'm out of the original agreement."

"What is he making you do?" he asked, his eyes wild with accusation.

"Nothing. I am agreeing to _consider_ working for him when he asks. He said I'd always have a _choice_."

"This is unacceptable. You are _my_ asset."

"Eric, is he doing anything to you that you didn't do to Bill when you met me?" I asked, temporarily ignoring the fact he just referred to me as an asset - that would be dealt with later, I had a point to make first.

"No."

"He is giving me a choice, I can't even remember if you did that."

His sudden change in expression was telling.

"I thought not. Now, I know my _gift_ will not go ignored by vampires. I'm doing what I can to ensure I never run into another vampire like Andre. I refuse to let that happen to me."

"Your great-grandf…"

"No, I will not bring him into this unless I have no other choice. This is agreeable to me for the time being. I will deal with my own mess. Do you know if Bill is waiting for me?"

"No. I sent him home."

"You were _that_ confident you were my best option?"

"No."

"Where is Pam?"

"I sent her home too."

"How am I going to get home?" I asked, only moments before realizing how much of a coincidence it was that Pam, Bill, and my car were not present.

"I will take you home."

"My home?"

"If you wish."

"And if I wished to go to your home?" I asked out of slight curiosity, but mostly to tease him.

"I would gladly _take you there_."

I snorted.

"My home will be fine, thanks. I appreciate you _driving me home_."

"Really?" he questioned, the glimmer of a smirk remaining on his lips as we walked out of Fangtasia to his red corvette.

.

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A/N another small note: referring to Eric's chest as granite must be circling in my mind from Zigster's amazing story Northman's Off Rivington in which she refers to him as Mr. Granite Pecks! lol On my second read through checking for errors, it hit me, but I seriously couldn't come up with a better way to write it. So I'm leaving it as a small tribute. :)

I know she doesn't read my story, but credit where its due! (at least when I realize it anyway, I've read so much fanfiction it's hard to tell book facts from others these days, but I promise to always try)


	23. Dreams with Chocolate Chips

Lucky? Chapter 2312/05/2009 09:13:00

A/N Spending more time reading than writing the past few days so – just a couple of scenes here, not too much plot movement. lol  
Too many new lovely stories to follow! :)

Many thanks to Sondra for offering me some advice with my story!

Thanks for reading!

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"**And if I wished to go to your home?" I asked out of slight curiosity, but mostly to tease him. **

"**I would gladly **_**take you there**_**."**

**I snorted. **

"**My home will be fine, thanks. I appreciate you **_**driving me home**_**."**

"**Really?" he questioned, the glimmer of a smirk remaining on his lips as we walked out of Fangtasia to his red corvette.**

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By the time Eric dropped me off at my house I wasn't sure what I felt more – anger or sexual frustration.

We had a lengthy 'discussion' about his reference to me as an asset and my desire (his word, not mine) to work for Felipe.

He insisted that he be allowed to come inside and look over the paperwork before I sign anything. Standing in the doorway, I told him I had housemates to consider and that I wasn't ready to even look at the contract. He would only leave after I promised not to sign anything without consulting him. _The nerve._ But I did what it took to get him to leave – I wanted to go to sleep.

"You _will_ come to see my reasoning," he growled before stalking down the steps.

"Fine, just _not_ tonight," I shouted at the gravel his car kicked up when he left.

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There were so many things on my mind, I probably should have written them all down… but instead I chose to ignore them. Setting the file Felipe had given me on the coffee table, I decided there was no reason to deal with it then. Without help, the unnecessary jargon was likely to frustrate me; I didn't need to be any more worked up than I already was.

Rolling my shoulders back, I thought, _I'll place some phone calls tomorrow. I'll look over the paperwork tomorrow. I'll think about it __**tomorrow**__. _

Repeating the mantra in my mind, I was roused by a stirring in the kitchen.

"Amelia? Octavia?" I whispered into the darkness.

"Yeah, Sook. It's me, Amelia," came from a small voice from the kitchen.

"What are you doing in here with the lights off?" I asked, keeping my voice low as I walked past Octavia's bedroom.

"Meditating," she replied.

I caught a glimpse of her face when I entered the kitchen through flickering candlelight; she looked worried. _Isn't meditation supposed to have the opposite effect?_

"Do you mind if I put the lights on?"

"No, it's okay. I was really just waiting for you. I wanted to know you were okay before I went to sleep."

"Thanks Amelia, you didn't have to," I said as the light above the sink blinked to life.

Her eyes took a minute to adjust; she was looking at my face as she blinked – searching for an expression that would clue her in on what happened when I left with Bill.

"I don't really want to talk about it," I said wearily, blowing out the candles as I leaned over the table.

"It's okay, do you want to talk about anything else?"

"Not really," I admitted.

"I'll head upstairs then," she said, pushing her chair back from the table.

"Thanks Amelia, I'm going to bed too."

"Okay," she acknowledged softly, giving my arm a reassuring squeeze as she walked past me to get to the stairs.

"Goodnight," I whispered to Amelia's back, unsure that she heard me.

"'Night Sook," she replied, turning around briefly to give me a small smile.

A tiny smile crept onto my own face as I opened the door to my bedroom and retreated inside. Not even bothering to change my clothes, I fell back on the bed, gathering blankets around me. I squeezed my eyes as tight as I could and thought of the one person I shouldn't.

.

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* * *

**Finn's POV**

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"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were falling in love with her," I said, my voice thick with condescension.

While awaiting a reply, I watched my brother's eyes for signs of weakness. I would have done better to look at his hands; he was wringing them in his lap, a habit that accompanied him since he was as a child.

Callum was quite capable of confidence; I had seen him work his magic on many occasions. Why he was so quick to lose it in my presence astounded me.

"Would that be so wrong?" he asked hesitantly.

His tentative inquiry made my stomach turn. Father had clearly not spent enough time training him, and I did _not_ have the time to correct his ways.

_Perhaps he is a lost cause_.

Thoroughly disgraced by the thought, I glanced down at his hands. Watching his knuckles grow white in a mangled pile on his lap, I let his unease sit with him a few moments longer before replying.

"Yes, brother. It would be very wrong. One does not fall in love with his enemies," I stated firmly, though I was sure the notification was too late.

His hands suddenly became limp in his lap. _Finally_, I thought. I smiled as he approached my desk; I was interested to see how he would handle the situation. _Would he beg to stay with her? Swear an allegiance to her? Profess love?_

I had to hold back laughter. He placed both hands flat against the desk, leaning over it to look me dead in the eyes.

"What are you doing with the Stackhouse human?" he asked.

The accusation not lost on me, I responded in kind, "It is not your concern, but know that there is a grave difference – Sookie will be alive when all of this is over, _she_ is of great value. I cannot say the same of Claudine."

"But why?" he insisted.

"She is a Brigant."

"That is not a good enough reason. _You_ are the one who said this method would prevent unnecessary death. You argued with our father endlessly in favor of your cause. Claudine is full fairy, we would be increasing our numbers by letting her live."

"It is the _only_ reason I need. And you would do well to be without such an obvious distraction," I seethed back at him, his petulance wearing on my mind.

"Is there any way I can sway you?" he pleaded pathetically.

"It is possible that if she were already with child, I may be persuaded to allow her to live," I said, providing false hope to ensure his cooperation.

His eyes shimmered with hope more keenly than I could have expected.

I learned in that instant that my brother had put his chips in with the enemy; his loyalty was questionable.

Just as I was about to address this fact, I got the distinct feeling something wasn't right.

"Leave, now!" I yelled.

His eyes beseeched me to reconsider, he wanted to stay and argue his case.

"You'll go now if you desire a chance to save her," I growled.

And with that, he was gone. I turned my attention to discerning the identify of my intruder.

Their footsteps were soft against the marble floors, shuffling back and forth in a very disorganized manner. I reached in the desk drawer for my knives. Leaning back in my chair, poised, ready with two knives in each hand, I waited. My wrists were flexing forward and back, practicing the fast movement required to launch the first two knives. I stretched my long legs under the desk, circulating blood to stimulate the muscles required to jump into action. I could easily finish off the intruder with the remaining knives in a single leap or simply use the knives to pin them to the wall for questioning.

It felt like eons since I had properly _questioned_ someone. Smiling in preparation, I wondered what was taking them so long. I could have taken down a broadsword from the wall in that time – no, I probably could have gone all the way to the safe in my bedroom to fetch my most prized sword in the time it was taking. I rocked back and forth in my seat excitedly… until nothing. It was all so anticlimactic.

Frowning, I strained my ears to search for the footsteps once more. They were still there, and there was something more to the noise – a soft knocking as they reached each door in the hallway.

_Who trained this assassin? _

Growing impatient, I stood up and walked to the door, placing the knives in my back pockets. I opened the door and quickly stood back in anticipation of a rush that never came.

_What was this tactic? Who is here and what is their endgame?_

With my hands behind my back hovering above my pockets, I walked out into the hallway. Sniffing the air, I grew excited - my eyes narrowing, my movements predatory.

My senses continued to sharpen as I stalked down the hallway - the soft pulse of a heartbeat louder in my ears as I grew nearer, my nostrils flared in confirmation… I was close.

"Finn?" I heard someone call, barely above a whisper from the room to my left.

_No… it can't be._

I stood, filling the doorway, looking into the library, with my mouth agape.

"Finn!" she cried out, much louder this time, as she ran toward me enthusiastically.

_What in the world?_ I thought as I held her to me, gripping the underside of her thighs. She had all but jumped on top of me in her excitement, and I struggled to steady us both.

_I would have to ask questions later, now is not the time. _

"My princess… I didn't expect you back so soon. Have your adventures ended so quickly?"

"What adventures?" she questioned hastily before placing firm kisses along my neck, nudging my shirt aside with her nose to reach my shoulders.

"While I appreciate your enthusiasm…" I started, adjusting her slightly - her legs were painfully close to the knives hidden in my back pockets.

"I do wonder what you are doing here," I concluded, placing her back down on her feet gently.

She leaned against my chest, breathing heavily. I carefully maneuvered her hands to my neck so she didn't reach for my behind.

"I thought you enjoyed kisses," she teased, rolling forward on her toes, pressing her body closer against mine.

"You must forgive me, my attentions have been drawn elsewhere."

_This much was true. I wonder if she would forgive me if she knew exactly who had more of my attention lately. Probably not. Better she not know._

Her arms snaked from around my neck, down my sides. She was pushing at the hem of my shirt, her hands seeking warm skin.

"Let me just go to my office for one minute, I promise I'll be right back," I said in as enticing a manner as I could muster.

Without turning around, I walked backward toward the office. Placing my hand against my chest where my heart was located, I let her think it was because I wanted to maintain eye contact for as long as I could.

.

After my knives were safely stowed, I returned to the hallway but she was nowhere to be seen. I peeked into the library – no, not there either. I heard footsteps above my head coming from the next floor; she was running… and laughing.

I couldn't help but smile as I called out, "I'll find you, you know, and you'll be sorry when I do."

This just elicited further laughter. I took my time walking up the stairs, listening for her movements.

.

"Sookie," I called out sweetly as I investigated the fourth floor.

"Who?" she asked, stepping out of her hiding place with a curious expression on her face.

"What? You don't like it?" I asked, inching my way forward.

She stuck her tongue out at me. I chose that moment to lunge for her, taking advantage of the fact her lips were already parted. She kissed me back with a hunger I had never felt before.

Lifting her up in my arms, I carried her to the bedroom.

.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she straddled my waist and I pressed my nose against hers.

"Ow," she winced delicately.

"Something wrong my princess?"

"My nose, it got hurt earlier, but that was… never mind," she said dismissively.

"I would like to know, if you would tell me, please."

She groaned slightly. I gave her a stern, but affectionate look, and she caved.

_The vampires were aiming to be a problem, but the roommates more so. I couldn't risk them finding her not in her bed in the morning and I was never sure how long I would want to keep her here with me. _

_Of course, now that I knew she could teleport on her own… well that would make things interesting. _

"Sookie," I said softly, to which her lower lip went out in protest.

"Why do you not like me to use your name?" I questioned.

"Everyone else calls me Sookie, it just reminds me of everything that's wrong in my life."

"But your life is an adventure, look at all the things you've done."

"I'd rather not have done any of it."

Sensing a dead end, I changed the subject back, asking, "Is there anything else I shouldn't call you?"

"Lover."

"But we haven't…" I said with a chuckle.

"Then don't call me your future lover, and after, don't call me lover."

"After?" I teased, enjoying the blush creeping into her cheeks.

"You know… if…" she said, stumbling over the words.

"It didn't sound like an 'if' a moment ago, you sounded quite sure of yourself," I stated with a laugh.

"Yeah, well… if you want to I mean, at some point… it doesn't have to be now."

"You came here tonight to seduce me!" I exclaimed in mock astonishment.

"Ha, ha," she said dryly.

I pulled her closer to my chest by drawing her thighs more tightly around my waist.

"Not buying it?" I whispered.

"Not hardly," she responded.

"Well, I'll tell you what. I can promise you I'll never call you lover, even if we are…"

I leaned back slightly to get a better look at her flushed face again.

"But I refuse to stop calling you Sookie. It is a precious name and I enjoy using it. Now is this silliness set aside? Are we in agreement?"

"Yes, sir," she replied drolly.

"So, what would you like to do today?"

"Do?" she asked, rolling her eyes, "Why do we have to do anything special?"

"I didn't say it had to be special, although any time with you is a treat."

"That's laying it on a bit thick."

I laughed.

"Quite right, I apologize. Would you like to watch a movie? Or is that too special an activity for you?"

"A movie? Really?"

Her eyes lit up as if it was the best suggestion she had ever heard.

"Yes," I said, watching her eyes sparkle, "I don't suppose you'd like some popcorn as well?"

"If it isn't too much trouble?" she said diffidently.

My chest ached, and I felt myself throbbing with need. I felt a strong desire to please her, in more ways than one, but I had promised the movie so that won out. I enjoyed human movies anyway, and I was eager to see which she would choose from my collection to watch.

"Nothing is too much trouble for you, my Sookie, don't ever be afraid to ask me for anything. Promise?"

Ever cautious, she regarded me for a moment before agreeing.

"Would you like to get into something more comfortable before we settle down?"

"Would _you_ like me to get into something more comfortable?" she joked.

"I think you know the answer to that," I said with a sly smile.

"Then my answer is yes, please."

Walking to the dresser, I pulled out a t-shirt and some shorts with a drawstring for her, so she could tighten them around her small waist, and another pair of shorts for myself.

.

"Let's take some blankets too," I said lifting the top three layers off of my bed. I wanted her to be warm, but I wanted to feel her against my skin hence the small clothing to blanket ratio.

"Okay," she said, smiling at the large pile of blankets in my arms.

"Come, we'll drop these in my theatre room and I'll show you the kitchen."

"Theatre room?" she asked, eyes wide.

Chuckling, I took her hand, balancing the blankets in the other, and led her down the hallway.

"Wow."

"Where would you like to sit?"

"With you."

I laughed, enjoying her honesty.

"No, Sookie, which couch would you like to sit on – of course I'll choose the same one as you," I said with a wink.

"That one?" she said, pointing to my favorite position.

"Perfect… Just one minute" I said, walking to it, dumping the blankets over the back.

Racing back to her, she jumped behind the nearest sofa, obstructing my reach.

"Tricky girl," I chided affectionately.

"Sometimes," she admitted.

"I like it," I said honestly.

"I like you," she said in a moment of weakness, in which I swooped in and scooped her up in my arms.

"No fair!" she screeched.

"All is fair," I said playfully, carrying her downstairs to the kitchen.

There was more to my sentiment than she realized, and more to it than even I realized.

"I feel like cookies too, what do you think?" I asked her.

"Sure."

"Chocolate chip?"

"Yeah, I like them."

"What's your favorite?"

"Peanut butter, the ones you stick your thumb in and put jam inside."

"Can we make them sometime? They sound very nice."

"Oh, they are. I like oatmeal raisin too. Gran used to sneak carrots in 'em, I can't eat them without carrot anymore. It just isn't right."

"Ah yes, now those I have eaten, not with carrot though unfortunately… do you think you'll join me tomorrow evening as well?"

I was interested to see how much control she would have over visiting me.

"Maybe," she offered.

"Waiting to see if the cookies are any good?"

"It's more the popcorn, if you can't make popcorn right, poof, you're a goner. I'll create someone who can."

I staggered backward, pretending to be hurt by her words. She laughed.

"I'm glad my breaking heart amuses you, oh no… I think I'm fading, in my place here comes the perfect man."

"Don't be silly, there is no such thing."

"No one better than I?" I inquired, full well knowing the answer.

"No," she laughed, "no perfect man."

"There is not?"

"Everyone has flaws, everyone has weaknesses, not every day is going to be your best, but you've gotta keep trying. The day you stop trying… well, I think I just gave myself a much needed pep talk," she said stopping abruptly.

"Pep talk?" I asked, placing the popcorn bag in the microwave. I had practiced before, but it still seemed strange to me.

"I think I found out the moral of my dream for this evening, what my subconscious is trying to tell me."

"Oh, and what did the other nights we were together tell you?"

She blushed, and I instantly knew what she thought the answer was. Roaring with laughter, I pulled her up against my side, tucking her under my arm. I smiled down at her, my ears listening out for the popcorn. It was important to remove the bag when the kernels stopped popping vigorously – the time estimate on the bag was not precise enough.

"Popcorn is ready," I said confidently.

"How do you know?"

"I've made enough…" I said vaguely. The fact that it was only in the past week I had used a microwave to do so need not be brought up.

.

Handing her the bowl of popcorn, I grabbed the container of cookies and we walked back to the theatre room. I let her choose the movie, Long, Hot Summer.

.

Wrapping us up in the blankets, I nestled the popcorn in my lap and took an experimental bite.

_Not too bad. _

Looking to her for approval, she chewed contentedly and I took that as a good sign.

"Ready?" I asked, my finger poised over the play button on the remote.

"Yes, it's comfy," she purred happily.

"Sure is," I said rubbing my legs against hers, snuggling her closer.

.

.

She fell asleep in my arms about 20 minutes before the movie ended… and this time I kept my eyes open – placing her back in her own bed as soon as the movie ended.

Returning home to process and regroup I found that scheming without her in my arms wasn't nearly as pleasurable. _Something_ had to be done about the housemates.


	24. Witches

Lucky? Chapter 2418/05/2009 05:01:00

A/N Thank you for reading and reviewing! I appreciate your support, I'm having heaps of fun with this one.

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**She fell asleep in my arms about 20 minutes before the movie ended… and this time I kept my eyes open – placing her back in her own bed as soon as the movie ended. **

**Returning home to process and regroup I found that scheming without her in my arms wasn't nearly as pleasurable. **_**Something**_** had to be done about the housemates. **

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**Sookie POV**

Thursday

I rolled out of bed with the biggest smile on my face. It was the smile that would never quit; it was almost like it was permanently plastered there. I felt it as soon as I woke up, and it was smiling back at me proudly when I glanced in the mirror. All we did was watch a movie and I was in a tizzy.

It was truly too good to be true and I wanted to thank my wonderful mind for creating it… but then, at the same time I was angry with myself for even putting the unrealistic thought into my mind. Smile gone. I was back to believing life wasn't fair.

If I was honest with myself, truly honest… I would have known there was more to my dreams. There was something gnawing at me, something inside me that said, 'you should talk to Niall about this,' but I forced it down. I reasoned it away - nothing bad was happening, I was in control, I _remembered_ everything in case the details _were_ important at a later date. There was also the slight embarrassment I knew I would feel at having to tell my great-grandfather about my longing for this man. While we hadn't 'done anything' yet… I was definitely thinking about it, and surely anyone could pick up on that.

.

To ease my conscience slightly, I toughened up (false bravery, I assure you) and approached the subject with Octavia over breakfast.

My stomach was twisting as I mixed warm milk through my oatmeal. Octavia was humming a little jazz tune as she poured coffee into a mug.

"Would you like some Sookie?" she asked as she placed a mug in front of Amelia at the table.

"Sure, Octavia, Thank you," I said nervously, already letting my anxiety show.

My palms were sticky and the spoon I was using to mix with slipped out of my hand and was buried in the bowl of oatmeal before I could make a grab for it. It was probably a good thing too, the milk I poured in was scalding hot – I had left it on the stove a little longer than necessary because my mind was so distracted. I grabbed another spoon out of the drawer and sort of fished out the oatmeal covered one, tossing it in the sink before sitting down at the table with Amelia.

Amelia was laughing at my spoon rescue and I couldn't help but smile, although tentatively. She mouthed, 'Are. You. Okay?' completely unnecessarily.

I gave her a quick nod, answering her immediate question, and opened my mouth to answer the rest by addressing Octavia, "Octavia? I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about dreams?"

Octavia smiled as she placed two hot mugs of coffee on the table along with cream and sugar. She took the seat next to me and scooted a little closer, pushing one mug toward me.

"Of course Sookie, I would be happy to help you in any manner I can. Dreams, you say? Are you getting some kind of premonition?"

"No, no, nothing like that. At least, I don't think so?"

"My dear, you can trust me when I say that you would know if you were psychic. The future would be as clear to you as us sitting here talking as we are now, except it would have a discrete air of possibility to it that everyday life as it plays out does not have. It would be palpable, you would feel the magic. Of course, there are those who believe the future is sealed, that we have no control. I am not one of them."

My mind was running through all of the times I had been witness to magic before… the witch war, the feeling I had outside Club Dead, the reconstructions… even the subtle feeling I had when walking through the wards placed on the house each day. No, I definitely didn't feel anything like that.

"Well, I didn't feel any magic, at least not like I have in the past… but these dreams I'm having… they are really vivid. I've never experienced anything like them before."

"Perhaps you did not have need for them before or maybe you haven't been sleeping as soundly? An overactive imagination and vivid dreams are quite common, even for humans. The trick is most of the time we don't remember. Have you had any of Amelia's tea lately?" she asked with a small frown.

"No ma'am, I haven't touched any of Amelia's teas," I said with slight reverence, acutely aware of the older woman's knowledge and experience.

She looked to Amelia inquisitively.

"No, Octavia. I swear I haven't given her anything."

"That's all right Amelia, I just wanted to check," she said before turning her attention back to me.

"Amelia here gets a little carried away sometimes, I've noticed she has concocted quite a few teas, one of which is specifically designed to help remember dreams. I trust you know better than to try anything in that container over there," she said, her finger pointing firmly in the direction of Amelia's little stash.

I nodded. Having no desire to become another of Amelia's magic mishaps, I had been more than a little afraid of some of the things Amelia suggested in the past.

Looking sheepish, an uncharacteristic trait for her, Amelia puffed out in defense, "I went through a little Vin Diesel phase after she kicked Quinn to the curb, and the dreams at night were so much juicier than the ones during the day… That man was amazing, I don't know how you let him walk out of here without at least…"

Octavia's disapproving gaze silenced Amelia. I'm sure my stare also clued her in, conveying 'now is not the time or place for that discussion Amelia.'

I was too interested in what Octavia would say next to properly acknowledge the small twinge of pain in my heart when Quinn was brought up.

"Well, all that aside. Do you feel any evil intent in your dreams?"

"I don't believe so," I said pausing to consider for a moment, "Nope, definitely not."

"Can you tell me what happens in your dreams? Is there a concurrent theme? Or are they something Amelia would prefer to hear about?"

Blushing profusely, I answered to the best of my ability, "Well, I have been spending time with a man, but they are not quite as umm…"

_I don't know what word to use? They are certainly detailed so I can't use that light term to fluff it off… but how do you say non-sexual without actually saying non-sexual? Racy? Uhh, I guess that will do – save me from looking like a moron over here pausing, a loud umm sound is no doubt escaping my lips at this moment. _

"… racy? They are innocent, we are just spending time together - last night we watched a movie. I don't detect any bad feelings or anything from him."

"It doesn't seem like he is trying to draw any information out of you?"

I took a moment to consider before answering. Yes, we had spoke about personal things… but nothing I wouldn't have already told Amelia or another friend _or lover_, I thought before blushing again.

"No, we have discussed things in my life, but nothing that's a particular secret."

"It all seems perfectly sound to me dear. While it would be _possible_ for a very powerful witch or warlock to invade dreams, I am quite confident you would be aware of it. And even if you weren't, Amelia and I would know if there were such a creature close by; this type of magic cannot be created from a great distance. I will check the wards on the house again and perhaps add a recognition spell to some points around town to be safe. But if you notice any changes in your dreams that you find alarming… if you sense evil or magic within them please speak with me again."

Amelia rolled her eyes in my direction when Octavia mentioned checking the wards again. She was quite confident in them after Victor wasn't able to pass and I think she felt slightly infantilized (word of the day two weeks ago) having Octavia around.

"I will keep that in mind, thank you Octavia."

When I noticed Octavia had turned her attention elsewhere, I gave Amelia a brief reassuring smile. She beamed back at me proudly. A little too proudly… She snuck in a quick gesture, pointing her finger in the direction of the tea jar like a little child saying, 'hey, mom's away, you wanna get sugar high?'

Shaking my head, I let her know I was definitely not interested. It didn't seem to bother her; she quickly smiled as if to indicate 'more for me then!' _Yup, Amelia, that's right! _I wondered if I'd ever get to see the cat version of Amelia one day.

I chuckled as I brought my bowl to the sink to wash up.

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Still picturing a furry little Amelia running around, I walked into the living room lightheartedly only to be confronted with the file of doom. _The paperwork! Ugh. _I had momentarily forgotten. With Finn and the nerves in my stomach, it had somehow gotten shuffled backward in my mind. I still had two hours before work, I guess my options were _a) take it to Sam and get his opinion? Is he too biased? b) wait for Eric? Also biased… or c) call a lawyer who knows about vampires? Where the heck am I going to find one of tho… _Then it hit me; I already knew one - Mr. Cataliades. _It's worth a shot,_ I thought as I reached for the phone.

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After a long shift at Merlotte's that afternoon/evening, I found myself placing another phone call, directly correlated to my earlier phone call but not nearly as easy to make.

Swallowing my pride, I ignored all pleasantries and asked simply, "would you be willing to travel with me to New Orleans this weekend to visit Mr. Cataliades?"

To which, Eric said yes… although his answer was slightly more loquacious (and dirty).

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I fell asleep that night with a scowl on my face… unable to ignore the fire Eric incited within me, but trying my best to squelch it.

**Finn's POV**

I took two steps back, eying the setup critically. _Would she fall for it? Does it look authentic enough? _

Unsure of why I put so much effort into it, I paced up and down the path inside the labyrinth. _It is where she first went left_, I thought, smiling to myself. I had never been much for sentiment but this seemed like the perfect place to…

_Surely she was asleep by now? _I thought distractedly, reaching in my pocket for the book of matches. I struck the flimsy cardboard match against the back of the packet and then quickly blew it out. _What a ridiculous way to make fire._ I threw the silly used match on the ground and it disappeared rapidly; I smiled smugly.

Turning back to my work, I rubbed my hands together in anticipation.

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_If I wore a watch, I'd be checking it._ I could feel her through the preliminary threads of our bond; she was sleeping… _why was she not coming to me?_

Sitting down on the blanket with my legs crossed, I found it hard to be patient. I sighed and leaned back… lost deep in thought.

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Another hour passed in the mortal realm. I reached out to her... she was still sleeping. I couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming of. Chuckling, I thought of all the playful things her relatively innocent mind would be thinking. Yes, I enjoyed playful, but as I rubbed myself with my hand… I thought of much more wicked things.

Allowing these thoughts to permeate my mind, I was distracted for another half hour or so.

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My mood significantly changed for the evening, I needed to have her with me as soon as possible. As pleasurable as it would have been to have her come to me, I was finished waiting. I sent myself to her.

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Finding myself in her yard, I was confused. It was very rare for me to miss my target; I had been teleporting for hundreds of years. But again and again that night, I failed.

_Witches…_ I thought grimly. One of them must have increased the wards on the house. I knew they would be a problem. I wondered if this is why Sookie was unable to leave. _Surely not? Typically magical wards are specific to entering, not exiting._

Hearing movement in the woods to my right, I popped myself back home.

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Standing on the picnic blanket, I kicked the little wicker basket in anger. Sandwiches and cookies spilled out of it and I found myself feeling guilty over the childlike outburst. I picked up the containers, staring at the last one for a moment before placing it back in the basket with the others. _Oatmeal raisin with carrot… I guess I won't be trying them yet, _I thought sullenly.

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A/N Aww, yeah Finn had prepared a nice picnic for them, complete with tapered candles (hence the practicing with matches lol).


	25. Burning Tupperware

A/N Thank you tofa for your review! It's nice to hear from you :)

It's always really nice to hear from everyone – thank you!

I wish I had more hours in a day to make my updates both frequent and long. *lol* I write terribly slow, but I'm definitely working on it. I set myself goals of what I want to put in each chapter, but often get sidetracked with details.

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**A reminder of where it left off with Finn …**

Standing on the picnic blanket, I kicked the little wicker basket in anger. Sandwiches and cookies spilled out of it and I found myself feeling guilty over the childlike outburst. I picked up the containers, staring at the last one for a moment before placing it back in the basket with the others. _Oatmeal raisin with carrot… I guess I won't be trying them yet, _I thought sullenly.

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**Sookie POV**

Early Friday 

Groaning, I rolled over to glance at the alarm clock – 2:14 am. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and pulled the blanket up onto my face. My nose was bitterly cold and I was vaguely aware of moisture pooling in that area. _How attractive_, I thought.

My entire body tensed as I sniffled instinctively – toes curling in my wooly socks, knees straightening, shoulders flexing inward. My muscles spasmed with the sudden movement and I cried out as a muscle cramp overwhelmed my right calf. I held my position as firmly as I could until the pain subsided.

Letting my body become limp once more, I sluggishly placed my forearm against my forehead, shielding my eyes from the faint green glow of the alarm clock. One thin layer of sweat met another and I shivered in response, immediately burying my arm back under the blanket and my eyes along with it.

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Tossing and turning, I tried my hardest to fall asleep. I desperately wanted a warm shower – something to take the chill off, but I had roommates and there was no doubt in my mind it would wake them.

_Even my toes are trembling,_ I thought as my jaw shook with a particularly violent case of the shivers. I reached for the pile of extra blankets at the bottom of the bed in a desperate attempt to retain warmth. They were soon gathered around me, tucked in on all sides – it was like a sleeping bag, only lacking a zipper.

As I mentally kicked myself for laughing at the display of electric blankets at Wal-Mart, I was starting to believe my body wasn't creating any heat. Naturally, that got me thinking of vampires – exactly where my mind did _not_ need to venture.

Closing my eyes tight once more, I repeated 'you'll get it all sorted out this weekend' in my mind to drown out all the other thoughts… Although the desire for a hot shower continued to plague me as I was lulled to sleep by the mantra.

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_What? Where am I? This looks intriguingly familiar…_ I thought as I poked my head out from behind a thick cotton shower curtain.

Yeah… I knew where I was all right - I was in Finn's shower. I listened to hear if there was anyone around for maybe 2.4 seconds before peeling off my sweaty nightgown and turning on the shower. In that moment, I couldn't care less who found me. In fact, as the warm steamy air surrounded me, I found myself growing down right giddy at the prospect… and slightly disappointed when even after a long shower (you can't really waste dream water) I was still alone.

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I wrapped myself in a towel and padded over to the counter where I was surprised to find all my usual bathroom accoutrements. Smiling contentedly, I used the moisturizer, hair detangler, and perfume, wiping the mirror with my palm before reaching for the comb.

After I worked the tangles out, I used another towel to scrunch my hair until it was partially dry. Tightening the towel around my body, I walked out into the bedroom in search of clothes. Oddly, my clothing had not seemed to follow me into my dreamworld like my bathroom products had.

Feeling bold, or perhaps entitled is the correct word, I slid an exquisite grey dress shirt off of its hanger and slung it over my arm. Remembering the location of the drawer Finn had retrieved shorts from the other night, I fished through it, coming up with a pair of black drawstring shorts.

I went into the bathroom to change, locking the door behind me. It was an interesting look to say the least. It probably would have looked better without the shorts that fell past my knees, but I was no longer feeling as brazen as I had earlier.

The weather decidedly warmer here, I didn't bother with socks or shoes. I walked through the bedroom and down the hallway, listening keenly for any voices or brain activity. _Nope, nothing._ I went into the room Finn called his office and it was pristine, no signs of recent activity. Checking the kitchen and the movie room and all the rooms in between, I kept coming to the same conclusion – I was alone. I considered walking the grounds, but knowing they were extensive, I decided it was better to just stay put until I woke up.

Perched on a chair in the entryway, I found 'sitting put' got dull fast.

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I was rounding the last hedge corner when I heard a loud noise and a bout of cursing. _Finally!_ I thought as I increased my speed, chuckling as I ran toward the center of the labyrinth.

He was on his hands and knees, scooping up errant containers and placing them in an adorable wicker basket. The whole scene looked like something out of a 1950s movie – down to the gingham picnic blanket. I cleared my throat.

"Have an accident, did you?" I questioned teasingly.

"Uhh," he said, jumping up and spinning around to meet my gaze, "Yes, that's it. I think the wind must have… oh nevermind, I kicked it."

"You kicked over that lovely picnic basket?"

"That is correct."

"Can I ask why?"

"You may."

Watching him smirk, I looked at him insistently.

"Nice outfit," he commented eying me up and down, "Can I ask where you got it?"

"Oh, I… uh…"

"It's all right. I like it," he said in a smooth reassuring tone while reaching for my hand.

Our hands joined, fingers intertwining, and I couldn't help but feel the connection between us – the heat coming from his palm. Enjoying the sensation, I closed my eyes in pleasure.

"Sookie?" his voice beckoned.

"Yes Finn," I replied, my tongue wetting my lips after the words left my mouth.

"Would you please join me for a picnic?"

"All this is for me?" I asked softly, my eyes widening as I took it all in.

"That was the plan," he said cheerfully, inviting me to sit down with him.

"Are you sure you didn't get dirt on all the food when you kicked over the basket?"

"I'll have you know I placed everything in little containers, going to painstaking lengths to make sure each infernal lid was properly sealed before placing them in the basket. I believe there was a child illustrated on the packaging… trust me, no child would be able to manipulate such a thing."

I regarded him for a second before bursting into laughter; he actually looked frustrated just thinking of it.

"Tupperware? You've never used tupperware?"I squeaked out in between peals of laughter.

"I am glad you find amusement in my strife, and no I have never had a need for it before."

"Oh. Come. On. I can tell. You. Want to laugh," I huffed, taking breaths in between words.

"I do find my irritation abating… it seems anything that causes you to smile in such a way brings me pleasure."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I said, placing my hand over my stomach to calm the jumping muscles.

"It is not bad, just unusual," he mused, stroking his chin, his countenance perplexed.

"Would it bring you pleasure to watch me try and close one of them?" he asked.

A grin spread across his face, enhancing his beautiful features; my eyes flit from side to side admiring every aspect of his expression coming to rest on a subtle scar just below his ear I hadn't noticed before.

"Find something you like?" he questioned, still smiling broadly, startling me.

Leaning in to get a better look, I found his scent enchanting. I was only faintly aware that I was rubbing my cheek against his chest as I breathed him in – he smelled of the woods and its flowers… and vanilla.

"Are you all right Sookie?" he asked, faltering slightly.

"Mmm," I replied unconsciously before tilting my head up to address him.

Reaching up, he smoothed my hair down before pointing to the scar.

"You were wondering about this?"

"Yes," I sighed, "you are lovely."

He chuckled, "my princess, you are lovely too."

He continued to rub his hand over my hair as the laughter reverberated in his chest.

"Don't worry yourself about this, I will tell you in time."

He paused in contemplation, stroking my jaw line with his fingertips.

"I have a few other scars you might enjoy," he deadpanned.

My eyes widened.

"But not now," he said, starting to laugh again, "now, let's enjoy our dinner. Come, let us pull these lids off and throw them into the fire."

"What fire?"

He pulled a book of matches out of his pocket and pointed to a large stone circle about a yard away from us with a wicked grin on his face.

"You might need them again," I reasoned.

"Are you always so sensible?"

I gave myself a moment to think about it. If I was honest with myself I'd have to say both yes and no, there were definitely times when I was, but other times when I had absolutely no regard for what I knew was the sensible thing to do.

"I didn't mean to insult you Sookie, I apologize," he said after observing my silence.

"Oh, no… you didn't. I was just considering what you said."

"And?" he asked tentatively, lowering his hand.

_Please keep stroking my hair_ I pleaded internally.

After a few more seconds of thought, I answered, "Where's the wood for the fire?"

"That's my girl," he said with a proud smile that warmed my insides.

"We can retrieve firewood when we finish eating. Here," he said passing me a container of cut vegetables, "start with this one, just pitch it in there. We will watch these misbegotten lids melt in agony later."

Wrapping his arm back around me, he squeezed me tightly against his chest, giving me a warm kiss on my forehead as I launched the lid at the stone pit.

"Radish please," he said tenderly, opening his mouth.

"Oh," I said, fumbling with the container in my hand, blushing as I slipped a piece of radish between his lips.

He closed them around my fingers, kissing the tips as I withdrew them. A heat surged through me as I reached in the container for another vegetable.

"Cucumber?" I asked before bringing it up to his lips.

"Yes please," he said, opening up once more.

We continued feeding each other for the next hour, fingers, forks, spoons – it was all incredibly scandalous. I felt like I had been transported into one of my romance novels and I was loving every second of it.

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Getting up to pour another glass of sweet tea, I watched him chuck another lid at the site of our future fire.

"Cookie?" he questioned sweetly, holding the container up for my consideration.

I seriously doubted I had room, but as the smell of vanilla invaded my senses, I found myself nodding. Settling down between his legs, my back to his chest, I took the cookie from his hand graciously.

I was thankful my back was turned to him because two tears rolled down my cheek as soon as I bit into the cookie. _Oatmeal raisin with carrot_. Just like Gran used to make. Trying my hardest to cover up my emotion, I quickly wiped the tears away pretending to scratch an itch, but my body betrayed me by jerking against him violently as another tear fell. I didn't realize it, but I must have been holding my breath.

"Sookie?" he asked cautiously, turning me around.

"They are really nice cookies Finn," I said through teary eyes.

He kissed each cheek, right under my eye, and gave my thigh a firm squeeze.

"I wanted to try the peanut butter ones, but I thought it would be more exciting if we made them together," he said.

"I would like that. You have a nice kitchen."

"Thank you."

"Can I have another one?"

"Another cookie?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes please."

"Of course, my princess, they are yours," he said, flashing a sincere smile as he handed me another.

"They were always yours," he added, barely above a whisper.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he said as he scooted back to get up.

"Sure."

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He returned about ten minutes later with an armful of blankets. He seemed to like carrying blankets around everywhere. I wondered what that said about my psyche.

"You look puzzled," he stated.

"The blankets, I was just wondering what the meaning of all the blankets was."

"It will be dark soon and I know you will be sleepy. I want you to be comfortable as we take pleasure in our fire."

"Okay," I agreed, not entirely convinced.

I was still searching for the greater meaning behind it.

"Would you like to use the bathroom before we settle in?"

_Oh, right. Might be a good idea I guess._

"In the house? Do you have a shortcut to get out of here?"

"I do," he said, leading me to a trap door behind the first row of hedge.

It led to a well-lit staircase and hallway, which matched the décor of the castle.

"Third door on the left," he instructed with a smile.

"Thank you Finn," I said before descending down the stairs.

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When I returned, he already had the fire blazing. He had a smug look on his face as he watched the flames lick the edges of the plastic lids.

"Wow, that's some fire."

"Ah, yes," he said modestly, "I got a little carried away, I think."

"A little…" I murmured in agreement.

Chuckling, he held his arms out to me. I walked toward him slowly, watching the fire reflect in his eyes.

Scooping me up, he carried me over to the pile of blankets which were located a safe distance from the fire. Holding me sideways in his lap, he drew the blankets all around us, whispering a sweet fairytale in my ear until I fell asleep in his arms.

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A/N I would watch out Heather, Finn seems to have the same regard for people who call him a baby as he does for tupperware lids… ;)

Coming up, Friday – Niall + guest, and leaving for New Orleans with Eric. I swear these were on my list for today, but now its 2am and they'll just have to wait for tomorrow, err… later today.

See? all you have to do is ask. I never mind writing extended Finn scenes, lol. Just pretend this was tacked onto the last chapter, okay? ;)

Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	26. Lawyers and Vampires

A/N Thanks for sticking with me and reading! :) I apologize for the delay, Eric did not want to come out and play. Finn offered to take up the entire chapter, but I told him I promised readers Eric. He doesn't understand the Viking love. lol.

**The end of Sookie's POV from last chapter…**

Scooping me up, he carried me over to the pile of blankets which were located a safe distance from the fire. Holding me sideways in his lap, he drew the blankets all around us, whispering a sweet fairytale in my ear until I fell asleep in his arms.

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**Finn POV**

Still Friday (but early in the am) [It's going to be a busy day with Niall in the afternoon and Eric and Mr. Cataliades in the evening.]

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Drawing the blankets around us, I instinctively buried my face in her golden hair. She giggled softly; the warmth in her voice rivaling that of the fire or the blankets.

Without thinking, I began to tell the story of how I received the scar she noticed earlier. Ever cautious, I used my title rather than my nickname, changing any other aspect that would have immediately given me away. Her eyes flickered, dancing between open and closed as my low voice filled her ears. I was sure she was going to fall asleep, but when I reached the part about the thorny water sprites her eyes flashed with amusement and she laughed wildly.

I had to tighten my grasp just to keep her from slipping away as her body shook with laughter. She truly did find pleasure in my most frustrating moments.

"No shit," she said in between giggles; I was slightly taken aback by her choice of words. "He should have thrown them back in the water and told them to get lost," she said frankly, her eyes meeting mine.

"Oh, believe me, my darling, he wanted to," I said reassuringly. Of course, that was not all I wanted to do at the time. However, I was quite inexperienced at catching the little devils at the time. "I must not have properly illustrated how devious water sprites are," I concluded, placing a small kiss on her flushed cheek.

Sighing, she snuggled against my chest and made a small motion with her hand, urging me to continue.

I spent the next ten minutes reminding her of the prince's cunning mind and the reckless nature of the foolish little sprites. She nodded enthusiastically, but I could tell she still had some doubts about my cleverness. Suddenly, I wished I had chosen any other story. I was only 130 at the time and it was one of my first treks out into the realm on my own; I was hardly a fraction of what I am today.

Regardless, I found myself smiling as I recited the story; the memory had never done that for me in the past. She had an odd way of twisting my frustration into pleasure and I wasn't sure what I felt about that.

As she finally drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but marvel at her sweet countenance, which was a lovely shade of rose due to the roaring fire. My eyes traveled from her face to the destructive fire and back again and I found myself at a loss, unable to decide which was more beautiful.

I was convinced that her beauty was somehow tied to my own vanity – that I was admiring my skillful manipulation.

But, I suppose, a large part of it may have also been her parentage. I never met her father, but I heard he was quite beautiful… even for someone who was only ¼ fae.

_Her mother, _I mused,_ now that was an entirely different story and a large part of what made Sookie so unique. There were very few like her left in the world._

I had visited her territory perhaps a year prior; she was _still_ particularly weepy. She wasn't an intellectual by any means, but her true existence didn't require her to be; she was created to be beautiful.

Sookie shifted in my lap, and I felt an immediate surge of lust that I stifled. I had no idea why I was biding my time with her in that respect.

In my mind, I felt the faint tingle of my father calling me; I sighed internally. Taking Sookie to the bedroom, I found her original clothing in the adjacent bathroom. Wishing I had been aware of it when she was naked in my room only hours earlier, I redressed her in clean pajamas and tucked her carefully into my bed. She clung to my arm as I started to move away and I smiled down at her sleepy face.

"Shh, my princess, you're safe," I cooed gently, leaning over to place a kiss on her lips.

"Dija put da firrre out," her lips moved slowly against mine, muffled by my kiss; it took everything I had not to chuckle at her concern.

"Yes, sweetheart, you don't have to worry," I replied, smoothing her hair behind her ear.

Her lips puckered and she scrunched her little nose.

"Don't like that term of endearment?" I asked affectionately, mentally adding it to the list.

She nodded briefly with her eyes still closed before rolling over on her side. She balled the top of the blankets up in a clump and hugged them to her chest.

I sat with her, stroking her back lazily until she disappeared.

Following her lead, I disappeared soon after, though I wasn't heading to the comfort of her bed in Bon Temps… I was on my way to see why my father was requesting my presence.

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"Ah, Finn. Good of you to join us," my father greeted me cheerfully, with only the slightest hint of sarcasm, as he pointed between himself and my eldest brother.

Addressing them both with a deferential nod, I responded, "Father, Cian."

"Your brother informs me you have not yet claimed the girl."

Looking over at Cian, I knew he wasn't the instigator of this meeting, though he looked smug. _Callum,_ I thought crossly.

"If you are referring to the brother that has all but fallen in love with a Brigant, I think it wise to consider the source of the information."

"I will handle that matter, do not concern yourself. Do you dispute his claim?"

"I do not," I admitted sorely.

"I knew you were choosey Finn, but with a kingdom at stake, I would expect you to be more than willing to entertain her," Cian interrupted coolly.

"It isn't…" I started to say, but was interrupted once more.

"You are the one who _volunteered_," he spat out bitterly, making no effort to mask his contempt.

I was about five seconds from separating my brother's head from his body when my father intervened.

"That is enough. Allow Finn to explain."

Momentarily silenced, Cian looked at me impatiently.

"We are bonding, I feel it. Nothing is off course, my plan is flawless."

I couldn't help but smirk when my father smiled proudly.

"I knew this would be the case. This will mean important things for our family Finn, and extremely important things for the future of our kind. Have you given any thought to who you will ask to rule with you as your Queen?"

"I have not, father. With all due respect, I don't see it to be an important detail at the moment."

"There must be children Finn, our population is low. You must set an example."

"There will be," I replied confidently.

"He lies," Cian seethed. "He will let us down. Sarah and I already have eight children. Father, I beseech you, let us take the North American throne. I will have this Stackhouse girl begging for my seed by this time tomorrow."

I laughed; I could not help myself. It only seemed to fuel his rage, as he glared at me from across the room, but he was a complete idiot to think such a thing.

"She is not like the humans you have played with Cian," I stated, explaining my behavior.

"What do you know? You have never willingly spent time with humans" he fumed.

My father was watching me expectantly.

"Were you aware Niall is training her to avoid our influence? I'm willing to bet Callum didn't share with you that she recognized him after he believed he cleared her memory. How are your skills Cian? Are you eager to take the chance?"

He cast his eyes down to the floor.

Meticulously emphasizing certain words, I continued, "I thought _not_. I may not have _exploited_ humans in the way _you_ have, but I have been in _full_ control of _every_ creature I've come into contact with for over 600 years."

My father nodded his head thoughtfully, and Cian reluctantly followed suit.

On a relative power high, I kept speaking, "She travels to _me_ now when I require it; she _desires_ me. I am simply maintaining the upper hand while our bond grows. She will know her place when I decide she will know."

"She enters our realm?" my father questioned with interest.

"Yes," I agreed simply.

"Why don't you just keep her with you then?" Cian asked, unable to keep his mouth closed.

Unwilling to share that Sookie could also remove herself from our realm at her discretion, I said, "It is not a part of my plan. In fact, I think that would certainly disrupt the entire thing. Niall would be immediately alerted; without proper planning she would be found within hours. Perhaps this is another reason _I_ was entrusted with this task?"

If he couldn't filter his thoughts, I saw no reason to do so with my own. The air around him darkened as he began to revert to his natural state. The hateful energy coming from his image was palpable, but I didn't bother changing form; I found it easier to control my spirit in my humanlike figure. Control was something my eldest brother clearly lacked.

Luckily, he took my last statement as a cue to leave and disappeared soon after transforming. I hardly saw reason for a fight to break out over something so petty, though I'm sure I had fought with all of my brothers at some point over something less.

"Very Well, you may go" my father said, bringing the meeting officially to a close.

"Thank you for bestowing me with the honor of carrying your legacy overseas," I responded cordially, bowing before him.

"Yes, yes," he repeated dismissively. "But you will report to me with important details from now on. I would like to know if this creature is visiting our realm."

"Of course," I replied respectfully. "I apologize for not having come forward with this information sooner."

"I believe you have our best interests at heart, my son," he said with a smile. He looked somewhat preoccupied - lost in thought. "Why don't you go visit with your mother and your sisters before returning home? I believe they would enjoy seeing you."

"I will do that, thank you."

I bowed before him one last time before exiting the room. I spent the next few hours in the company of my four youngest sisters (two sets of twins aged 40 and 90 respectively) recounting the story of the microwave popcorn and plastic containers and chasing them through the estate. They laughed heartily and could hardly believe the ordeals I'd been through. _If they only knew_.

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**Sookie**

Friday

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I woke to a flurry of activity; minds were buzzing and things were being moved throughout the house. I wondered what was going on. Slipping my robe on, I walked out into the hallway. Rounding the corner, I noticed the living room was full of suitcases and boxes. _What in the world is going…_ I thought just as Amelia bumped into me, carrying a stack of books in her arms so high that it obstructed her view.

"Amelia?" I questioned.

"Yep?" she asked, placing the pile of books in an empty box on the floor.

"Why not bring the box upstairs to put the books in and then carry the box downstairs instead of risking a fall down the stairs with that pile of books?" I asked, though it really wasn't the question I wanted to ask. I guess curiosity got the better of me.

"Ha-ha," she replied dryly. "The thought did occur to me, ya'know. But one box of books was just too heavy to lift on my own. The movers aren't coming until Monday, so this works best."

Movers? Boxes? What was going on?

"What do you mean movers?" I asked, putting my confused thoughts into words.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, both from her mouth and from her mind. Amelia was moving out, she was leaving, and so was Octavia.

"You got your housing checks in the mail this morning?" I asked solemnly.

"Yep."

"They both came together?"

"Yep."

"And you're leaving right away?"

"In about a week, yep. They're taking most of my stuff on Monday, but my flight isn't until Thursday."

"You arranged all of this… just this morning?" I asked incredulously.

"Yep."

Okay, I was getting tired of all the 'Yep's.

"Amelia, this is crazy! You didn't think to wake me up and tell me?" I shouted a little louder than I probably intended. I added, "I could have at least helped you pack," to offset some of my volume.

"Aww, thank you Sook. I didn't want to stress you out. I know Friday afternoons you need Octavia and I to clear out, so I thought I'd get a jump-start on things, but if you have some time I'd love the help. And I'm sorry I didn't wake you up. You rarely ever sleep in, I thought there had to be a reason."

"What about Trey?" I asked, still overwhelmed by disbelief.

"Oh, right," she said, the smile disappearing from her face. She shuffled her feet for a second and ran her hand through her hair, taming flyaways… and there were many; her perfect short haircut had grown a little shaggy since she'd been staying with me. Amelia thought no one in town would do a decent job of cutting her hair. "Well, we sort of broke things off."

"Because you're moving?"

"No, that isn't the only reason, Sook."

"You don't think you'd be able to make it work long distance?"

"Ya know Sookie, for someone who has been through as much as you have, I am beginning to question this sudden romantic side," she said as she eyed me for clues. "You know Trey already has a kid, right? He's already been through all that. Marriage, having babies… that kind of stuff."

I nodded. It sounded nice.

"Well, he's looking for it again. It isn't what I want right now, someday maybe, but not now. I can't commit to that and it wouldn't be fair to leave him hanging thinking that I might. There is so much out there in the world… I like knowing that and the excitement that comes along with it. He's a lone wolf, Sook… in more ways than one. I enjoy practicing my craft and meeting others with similar interests. He isn't really open to that. But don't get me wrong… I had fun; I think we both did."

I didn't know how to respond. I think in that moment, my relationship inexperience really shone through. After all, what did I know? I just assumed people got married, had children, and lived happily ever after. But I was a living testament to the fact that it didn't always happen like that, was I not? Not that I had crossed it off my wish list just yet, but I did know it would never be that easy… not for me, and I guess not for Amelia.

If I was honest, I had to admit I liked the excitement that came with it as well. However, the beatings and near-death experiences I could do without. I frowned as a few memories came to the surface of my mind.

"Look Sookie, don't feel bad about it – it wasn't me, I couldn't stay here forever broadcasting at you – you'd have hit me over the head with that cast iron skillet of yours eventually. I miss my home, I miss the city. I miss all the life New Orleans is filled with."

I felt myself growing defensive as she said those things. Yes, I could see where the intrigue was; I had visited New Orleans – but it wasn't for me. I preferred a quieter life, (ha!) but I couldn't begrudge her wishes.

"And Octavia?" I asked.

"Sook, she is thrilled, I haven't seen her this happy in… well I don't think I've ever seen her so happy. She was _singing_ as she started packing her things."

Her eyes met with mine and we both marveled at the notion.

"If you weren't happy here, why didn't you ask your dad for money?" I asked thoughtlessly. It was a low blow, but I was feeling abandoned.

As if she could sense my intent was not malicious, she answered honestly, "Sookie, it just wasn't right. I wanted to do it myself."

I bit my tongue; there was no need to remind her that the building had been a present given to her by her father in the first place. I simply nodded in agreement and offered to help pack the rest of her things.

.

"So your apartment is ready for you to move straight in?"

"Yeah, there are really just superficial things left over. I was lucky that I had enough money in my savings account to get an early start on repairs and a tenant who was more than happy to oversee them. I'll use this money to fix up what little is left and then put it into my savings account to replace what I've already used up."

"Oh, that sounds good," I said feigning happiness; I was really going to miss Amelia's sunny disposition, even if I did want to silence her with the skillet every now and then.

"Yep." She smiled as she stuffed another sweater into a box.

Octavia joined us a few minutes later, and she was in fact singing which caused me to laugh cheerfully in spite of my dismal mood.

.

.

.

Niall had another guest with him when he visited that afternoon, an older gentleman who I could only vaguely remember after he left. I lost an entire hour of conversation and I was feeling quite disappointed with myself.

My great-grandfather assured me that I was doing well to even have a vague recollection and we spent another hour working on fleshing out my memory.

I wasn't able to get an entirely clear recollection of the man, but was able to piece together a _few_ things we talked about with the his help. He said something along the lines of, it's better than nothing, and I think I agreed with him. What else could I do? A temper tantrum was hardly going to suffice. Sucking it up, I made a concentrated effort to push back all the other thoughts in my mind and focus on the tasks at hand.

We went over the recognition spell – no one out of the ordinary registered and I practiced drawing Niall's thoughts from his mind at a distance.

Before he left, he asked if I had seen Claudine or Claude that week and I had to tell him the truth – no. But I was quick to remedy the situation by explaining that we had plans for the week ahead.

Of course we had plans for that week as well, but he didn't need to know that. I just sloughed it off by saying Claudine was busy because of her engagement and Claude was probably helping her. I knew the last part was a bit of a stretch, but Niall smiled pleasantly and agreed.

.

After my great-grandfather left, I placed a call to Sam to double check that he was able to cover my weekend shifts. There was a time I considered myself a reliable staff member; I still felt really guilty for springing this on Sam at the last minute, even though he said it wouldn't be a problem.

"Hey, Sam?"

"Hey Sook! How's it going?"

"I was just wondering if you were able to find a replacement for my shifts tomorrow?"

"Yeah cher, it wasn't a problem." He paused. "Can you tell me any more about why you're going to New Orleans?"

I thought about it for a moment. Figuring there was no reason not to tell him, I said, "The king has issued me with some paperwork (more like ultimatum) about this whole vampire protection thing and I've got to go over it. I'm going to meet with Mr. Cataliades to go over my options." I told him the truth, more or less.

"Shit, Sookie," he cursed angrily. "How did you get mixed up in this?"

I told him.

"Damn vampires," he responded. "I could have helped you with this, do you want me to drop by and take a look at the paperwork? I've handled enough contracts. This is what it is, isn't it?"

"I guess so," I replied skeptically, "but no thanks, it'll be all right Sam. I trust Mr. Cataliades will explain my options to me well enough."

"Is that really safe Sook, traveling by yourself?"

I swallowed hard; I knew Sam wouldn't appreciate what I had to say next. I rushed it out as quickly as I could, "I won't be alone, Eric is coming with me."

"Eric?" he questioned suspiciously. "Are you with him now?"

I didn't know how to answer that; I went for the honest approach. "Look, Sam, I don't know what's what with Eric and I, but I _will_ tell you when I know. I really think I want to be on my own… Oh, I don't know. I really _need_ some time to myself but I have to admit that associating with Eric is one of the things that keep me safe from other vampires. I can't just make him go away. I'd regret it."

And for more reasons than I was letting on to Sam.

"Sook, you know I'd protect you," he said valiantly.

Yes, I could have predicted he would say that, though I was in no way trying to elicit that response. All I needed to do was call Bill and listen to him proclaim undying love and I could throw myself some huge sick pity party. _Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink._ I chuckled under my breath.

"That's very sweet Sam, but unnecessary," I said when I lapsed back into a moment of sanity.

"Look, you take care of yourself, okay? You'll have your phone with you?"

"Yes, Sam. I will have my phone and I promise to look after myself. I'll see you on Monday, okay?"

"All right cher. Monday," he said in confirmation, and possible silent prayer.

"Bye Sam thanks again!"

"Anytime cher, you know that."

.

.

Nightfall came and my two roomies, _or ex-roomies really_, went to their rooms.

"Where are you guys going?" I groaned, wanting to savor our last precious moments together, as a loud knock sounded on the door.

"Oh," I said, rolling my eyes, in effect answering my own question.

Opening the door, I regarded him in as professional a manner as I could, "Eric."

He was helping me with a business matter after all. I still wasn't sure if he had any other intentions for agreeing to come along, well beside the obvious. Eric had been trying to get me into bed since we met, and the fact he had and hadn't been fully 'there' when it happened obviously irked him.

"Sookie," he said in reply, tilting his head in a formal way.

_Vampires!_ I don't know why they couldn't just shake hands and be done with it – it always left me feeling uncouth.

"You've got your things with you?" I asked, trying to fill the void between us.

"Yes, my _'things'_ are in the car and my coffin is already at the airport" he said with a chuckle at my euphemism.

"There is no way we can fit both of our suitcases in your car, we'll take mine," I suggested (strongly).

"How much have you packed for a two night stay? Or is this a trick and you're planning to kidnap and have your way with me?"

His left eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch as a smile curled wickedly on his face.

"I think we both know I am not capable of kidnapping you Eric."

"If I was willing, you might be able to restrain me."

Unable to think of anything else to continue our usual repartee, I lied, "No Eric, I did not pack that much."

Truthfully, I had packed nearly all (okay, all) of my remaining dress clothes; I lost many of the beautiful things I purchased for Rhodes and I didn't have the money to replace them. I kicked myself for buying dresses with Claudine the other week when I could have been buying more formal attire. Though, I did bring one of the dresses with me. I didn't know what I would need during our weekend – how formal the meetings would be, if we would be going out at all…

"Well, let's see it," he replied simply.

"See what?"

"The suitcase."

"And a garment bag," I added quickly.

"All right," he said with a chuckle, "then let's see the suitcase _and_ the garment bag."

"They're in my… I'll go get them, you wait here."

Ignoring me, he whizzed past and went into the bedroom, grabbing both the suitcase and the bag.

"Is this everything?" he questioned.

"Yeah, that's it," I replied, nodding my head in confirmation. "I'll just get my purse."

"I'll meet you in my car," he said.

"Eric I'm telling you, it won't fit."

"You think I have only one car?" he questioned with an amused smile on his face.

"I've never seen you drive anything else."

His eyes were twinkling as he responded, "there are many things you do not know about me Sookie."

Realizing just how true that statement was, I decided then and there to make an effort to get to know him. It was strange to think that we had been together in so many intimate ways (and so many places) and I didn't really know that much about him.

_It wasn't that he was unwilling to share, but rather that I never asked, _I realized in another rare moment of clarity.

.

"Eric?" I questioned as I got into the black sedan, thinking it better to start sooner rather than later.

"Sookie?" he teased, a boyish grin evident on his face.

"Can you tell me something about yourself?"

He looked surprised by my question, but answered kindly, "what would you like to know?"

"Anything, Anything at all," I admitted honestly.

Chuckling, he started the car.

"I believe that is a bit too specific. A broader topic, perhaps?" he suggested.

"Uhh… Can you tell me about Europe?" I offered, thinking on the fly suddenly not my forte.

"An entire continent… I'm glad you've provided me with a way to narrow down my story selection."

"Okay, okay," I said in concession, pausing to think for a minute. "Can you tell me what Sweden is like?"

A warm look spread across his face as he smiled reminiscently. It was eerie; the only times he had that look about him in the past was when he was describing battle. I was instantly curious to know where his mind was. I went so far as to reach out to him to see if I could 'read' anything from him. I got zilch; I was _mildly_ relieved.

"Yes, Sverige," he said, breaking the stagnant air with his deep voice.

Warmth rushed to my center and tinged my cheeks pink.

He was staring straight ahead at the road, but I knew he could probably sense my arousal.

"Sverige," he repeated, letting the second syllable hang on his tongue.

The sound his mouth made, _Yuhhh, _resounded in my mind.

"If I knew it were that easy, I would have opened with that when we met," he said, chuckling, turning his head to look at me.

Okay, no probably about it; he _knew_ I was aroused.

"Eyes on the road buddy," I said pointing my finger from his face to the road in front of us.

He conceded, but took his time doing so. I smoothed my skirt against my legs in an attempt to calm myself down.

When he finished laughing, he began to speak, describing Sweden in earnest – painting a picture so clear, I felt I had been transported.

.

When we arrived at the airport, he stopped talking; his face reverted to its usual impenetrable expression. I followed his cues as we took our luggage and walked through the airport. It was less formal than the other times we had flown and I felt abnormally normal, traveling with a vampire.

.

Eric commanded an awe-inspiring amount of respect (and attention). A few children (accompanied by their often fearful parents) paused to ask Eric questions as we walked through the concourse. Surprisingly, he obliged every single one of them to the point where I was wondering if his ego was going to make us late for our flight.

"Eric…" I cautioned as he scrawled his name and the word Fangtasia across another school notebook.

"Yes lover?"

The man had no tact.

"I believe our plane is boarding."

He looked to the monitors, which were ages away and replied, "Yes, I do believe you are right."

"Wow," said the boy in awe, as his parents eyed Eric and I vigilantly.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Jake, was it? You'll have to visit my bar when you are of 'appropriate' age," Eric said with a smile to the horror of his parents. "Fangtasia," Eric repeated slowly, handing the 14-year-old a business card from his jacket pocket.

The boy nodded his head vigorously and I watched Eric to make sure he wasn't glamouring the poor boy.

… Nope, no visible signs of glamour; the boy was in fact enamored with Eric of his own accord. Although sweetly, the boy was thinking that if being a vampire got a guy a hottie like me, then there was certainly some merit to it. _Bless his heart._ I had half a mind to tell Eric that little detail, but decided against it; he was having fun and I didn't want to spoil it. I also didn't really feel like recounting the thoughts of a 14-year-old boy to Eric. I was sure he had enough of them on his own; he didn't need any encouragement.

I waved goodbye to the shell-shocked couple and their son, and took Eric's hand to lead him to our gate.

.

He pulled out some paperwork as soon as we sat down in our plane seats; I assumed it was work related so I reached into my bag for a book. The trip was mostly silent, but not uncomfortably so.

.

There was a car waiting for us in New Orleans to take us to the hotel.

.

When we reached the room, I took my clothes out of my suitcase to arrange them in the drawers.

"We could have arranged for your bedroom furniture to be delivered with my coffin," Eric suggested, as he leaned against the door.

"Very funny."

He threw his own suitcase up on the bed, and copied my behavior by placing his things into the other chest of drawers. I noticed he had far less with him than I did. I looked away as he put two very small pairs of _could it even be called underwear?_ in the top drawer and closed it.

A flash of pink suddenly caught my eye as he went back to his suitcase and I did a double take; it was the pair of pink lycra leggings he wore to the orgy I invited him to (loosely speaking, of course, – it _was_ an orgy, and I _did_ invite him, but not to really have sex).

"What are those are for?" I asked with wide eyes.

"I never know when you actually require my company. For all I know, you could have devised this as another clever ploy to make out with me. One can never be over prepared."

"Right," I said doubtfully, "Except you knew Felipe would require a guardian on this trip."

"You could have asked Pam," he said offhandedly.

_Touché, _I thought, but decided instead to say, "I guess."

.

A few moments later the phone rang; I rushed to pick it up. Mr. Cataliades was there, waiting for us in the conference room. Eric and I made our way back down to the office floor we noticed earlier.

.

"Miss Stackhouse," Mr. Cataliades greeted. "How lovely it is to see you again. And Eric," he said with a reverent nod, "it is also a pleasure to see you here this evening."

Eric nodded in response and we sat down around the table. I took the seat closest to Mr. Cataliades; Eric sat across from me. I placed the file of doom in front of me and slid it toward Mr. Cataliades.

I watched nervously as he read through the pages, nodding intermittently. When he finished, he addressed Eric first.

"You have read through these documents?"

"No, though the king did discuss the issue with me before drafting them."

"I think you'll find them interesting."

Eric raised an eyebrow, but other than that showed no sign of interest.

I wanted to raise my hand to get a bit of attention or maybe smack someone with it – _these papers were regarding me, were they not?_

"Miss Stackhouse," Mr. Cataliades said, addressing me once again, "Feel free to say whatever you need to in front of our present company." He moved his hand to draw attention to the five other people around the table.

They were human, all lawyers; I could tell from their thoughts.

"They are well aware that a portion of their memories may be erased at the end of this meeting. Actually, I am glad you brought Mr. Northman with you this evening; my vampire associate was unable to attend our meeting this evening. Would you be willing Eric?"

Eric agreed.

I must have looked dumbfounded because Mr. Cataliades continued for my benefit, "It is common practice Sookie when humans are doing business with supes. They have all signed appropriate waivers."

I nodded half-heartedly; I was wondering who would agree to such a thing. Picking up a general consensus through the room that it was the money and not the memories that were important to them, I was disgusted.

"Moving forward, you indicated on the phone that you were leaning toward a particular option?" Mr. Cataliades prompted.

Finding my voice, I responded, "Yes… Yes, that is right."

"And which was that?"

"Umm, I believe it was the third option – the one where I get to stay in Bon Temps without surveillance."

I felt Eric encouraging me somehow. Blood bond… Wanting to go through the experience with _my_ emotions in tact, I glared at him. He returned my look with a smirk.

"You are aware of the stipulations that accompany that option?"

"Stipulations?" I asked. No, I wasn't aware.

"Yes, there has to be a blood exchange completed for this one to be valid."

"What? I've already exchanged blood with a vampire. That one there," I said pointing to Eric. Ungraceful, I know, but I was slightly surprised by the 'stipulation'.

_Not to mention Bill,_ I added mentally.

"No, the wording in the contract is specific; it must be the king himself."

_That's rich_, I thought. It turned out stipulation was just another fancy word for 'trick'.

"I have to form a blood bond with the king?" I asked, looking at Eric.

He appeared livid, but the twinkle in his eye suggested he was impressed by the king's deviousness.

"No, Miss, it doesn't require a bond, just one blood exchange."

"To what end?" I asked, exasperated.

"It does not list a reason, but I would believe it would be so he can find you if necessary. Would you agree Eric?"

"Yes," Eric said simply.

"And if I choose to keep things the way they are now, no blood exchange is required?"

Mr. Cataliades shuffled the stack of papers in his hands, using his finger to skim to the appropriate section.

"Ah, hmm… No, it appears there is no blood exchange required, but it does state that the king retains all rights to decide who will watch over you. He will always have the final say, although it is in Eric's hands at the moment to enforce it."

_Great._ Moving in with Eric was looking more and more like the best option. I looked at him pitifully; he was giving away nothing.

I had the distinct feeling that if I threw my chips in with Eric, it was all in or nothing and I wasn't ready for that. Honestly, I didn't think he was either.

My mind went crazy, thoughts were flooding in from all over the place, overlapping each other.

_What did we __truly__ have together? _

_A blood bond? _

_How could I ever know if my feelings were real or artificial? _

_Some shameless flirting? Or did I care for him; he and Pam seemed to think I did. Was I truly that unaware of my emotions? _

_We spent less than a week together when he wasn't truly himself. Was I over or under estimating the significance of our exchanges all these years?_

It was too much to think about; I had other things to consider. _Focus…_ I reminded myself.

"Could I have some more time?" I asked, near pleading.

"Of course, Miss Stackhouse. I've got you listed in my appointment book for tomorrow at 7pm. I didn't think this would be a decision made in one night. And, you can return in a few weeks if you need more time; I will always make myself and my associates available to you."

"No, I will know by tomorrow. I need to wrap this up." _for my sanity,_ I added mentally.

I only had one more question that evening.

"And if I refuse the entire thing? Refuse to sign this paperwork or continue with the current state of things?"

He put the sheet of paper he was holding down on the table solemnly; apparently he didn't need to look that one up to refresh his memory.

"Your life would be forfeit," he said with a tinge of remorse. I had a feeling remorse was not a common demon sentiment.

"That means?" I said in my toughest voice, trying not to let my anxiety show.

"The vampires of Nevada, Louisiana, and Alabama would consider a refusal a blatant disregard for your own life; you would be turned if necessary to ensure your survival."

"You're not serious?"

"I'm afraid, I am."

"And if I refuse to be turned?" I said, stating the obvious because I didn't really know where else to go with that information.

"I don't see how you would be able to if they…" he paused, "forced you."

"Eric?" I questioned, acutely interested in his opinion.

He didn't move; his face didn't even twitch. He stared straight ahead as if he hadn't heard my question.

I continued to glare at him. Everyone in the room was watching him intently, waiting for his reply.

After another moment of silence, he spoke, barely above a whisper, "He is my king, my hands would be tied."

_Effing unbelievable!_ "Thank you for your time Mr. Cataliades," I said, standing up abruptly. I nodded in the direction of the other lawyers, I felt rude for not being able to say goodbye politely, but I wasn't told their names and I wasn't about to ask for them now. "I will be returning to my room now, I will see you tomorrow evening at 7."

"I look forward to it my dear. I will go over the paperwork tomorrow during the day with my associates to provide you with further council. Are you sure you wouldn't like to accompany me back to my office this evening to use my private phone? It's a secure line."

I looked at him curiously and he spoke the word that had been floating around in my mind all evening.

"Niall," he said simply, knowingly.

"Not tonight, but I may take you up on that offer tomorrow, thank you."

Turning his attention to Eric, he asked, "Would you mind staying behind to… well you know."

"Of course," Eric said smoothly. "I'll meet you upstairs Sookie."

"Sure, whatever, take your time," I spouted quickly before turning on my heel and exiting the room.

I was absolutely steaming as I made the walk back to the hotel room. How dare he act like he was doing me some service by offering me these options and then plant all these loopholes into the contract.

I thought back to what Clovache said in Rhodes, 'a vampire by definition, is twisty and deceptive.' At the time, I questioned her, now I wasn't so sure. Eric's answer left me feeling cold and Felipe… that was another kettle of fish entirely, one I didn't want a reason to delve into; I just wanted it to go away.

.

I was sitting on the large hotel bed with my head in my hands thinking through the crazy black hole that had been my life since I met Bill. The time I spent with Bill was truly the best time in my life and I couldn't bring myself to regret it regardless of what happened between us in the end.

My mind ran through all the events I'd been through that lead me to this one; there wasn't much I would do differently.

If I could step outside the situation, I'd probably laugh. Or maybe I'd cry. I really wasn't sure. It seemed so insane to think the world was an entirely different place before the revelations.

I was still lost in my own introspection (word of the day for the next day, I had pulled them off my calendar to bring with me and accidentally snuck a peek) when Eric entered the room.

He looked a little surprised to see me in such a state and I felt a little jolt of confidence rip through me. Blood Bond again. _Great_. It was exactly what I needed to be reminded of at that moment. _Thanks Eric._ I gave him a weak smile.

He walked toward the bed confidently and stood before me.

I tilted my head back and my eyes climbed the distance up, up, and up to his cool white face.

He was so beautiful, absolutely flawless; he had the complexion of an angel and the mind of well… I couldn't be certain – part of the allure and danger of vampires.

Eric was a walking paradox. The time I had ventured into his mind, I was absolutely disgusted, and convinced he was pure evil. But when he stayed with me… things were different; he was tender, sweet, _modest_, and insecure.

"I made us reservations for dinner at a restaurant in the city," he said, and I wasn't sure which Eric I was talking to.

I took the safe way out, "No Thanks."

"Are you sure? It is relatively private. I could tell you more about 'Anything'… or 'Europe' if you desire," he said, quoting my topics of conversation from earlier.

"Honestly Eric, I've got too much to think about at the moment. You know, with the whole vampire contract thing."

"I know. We could discuss that further if you wish."

"That's… _kind_ of you to offer," I said, choosing my words carefully in a last ditch attempt to remember my manners, "but no thank you."

"You should eat."

"I will."

"Why is it you fight so hard against assistance, Sookie?" he asked.

He didn't wait for an answer.

"I don't know," I whispered softly to the void he left behind. "I really don't know."

A/N Thoughts? As always, they are much appreciated! I answer each review personally, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.


	27. Fast Food and Silver Swords

A/N oh my goodness, there are too many good things to read at the moment, I'm really struggling to focus and write. Thank you to everyone who leaves reviews, they keep me coming back for more :)

I started Konfetti's Know Thyself and love it. After this chapter, I'm taking some time to read the entire thing straight through. Okay, wow! Weirdest thing, I just typed that and my email program goes *ding* new email – update from guess what story? yeah, Know Thyself. How creepy! Yet, in a rare moment of serious resolve, I'm actually writing a bit before I run off to read, though I'm ridiculously tempted – I'm nearly trying to explain it away as fate. I *must* read this story… hehe

.

Okay, so we were here (early Saturday morning), Eric and Sookie just returned from meeting with Mr. Cataliades to discuss her options with respect to Felipe.

"You should eat."

"I will."

"Why is it you fight so hard against assistance, Sookie?" he asked.

He didn't wait for an answer.

"I don't know," I whispered softly to the void he left behind. "I really don't know."

.

.

.

Staring at the clock on the wall, I watched the red second hand subtract tiny fractions of time from my life in painful succession until my mind went numb.

.

About twenty minutes had passed when one of my most basic instincts suddenly kicked in - my stomach growled, waking me from my trance.

Scrounging through the tiny desk drawer, I found the room service menu. I cringed at the prices, but knew it was better than walking out into New Orleans without a guide or a clue as to where I was going. I didn't really want to deal with Eric asking me if I ate either; he wouldn't accept monetary excuses and my hunger quickly proved to be more persistent than those anyhow.

I ordered two grilled cheese sandwiches and a salad; there was something comforting about tearing a melted cheese sandwich apart and watching the cheese flow that forced my hand. 30 minutes they said; it couldn't come fast enough… especially considering the lump that formed in my throat when I thought of what Eric could be out _having_ for dinner. Unwilling to let myself feel sick before I even had a chance to eat my food; I pushed the thought out of my mind.

.

Not even five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Silently thanking god and the veritable army that must have been formed to get my grilled cheese sandwiches together so quickly, I rushed to the door.

"Sorry, I forgot that little plastic thing when I left earlier."

It was Eric; he was holding a case of true blood and a brown bag that smelled tantalizingly like fast food.

"Is that…" I started, unable to move my eyes from the bag of food.

"Well, I assure you, it isn't for me," he said chuckling at my loss of speech. "If you'll just let me in, you can have it."

I thought, _sure, of course, definitely, whatever you want in exchange, okay maybe not anything!_ all in the span of five seconds as I quickly moved back into the suite, grabbing the bag as soon as Eric stepped inside and offered it to me.

"I knew you wouldn't have eaten."

_Ha! I would show him!_

"Actually, I ordered room service," I said confidently, though ungracefully as I stuffed three fries in my mouth at the end of my statement.

Then, it hit me. _The room service! Oh no! What a waste! _

I looked down at the delicious bag of comfort on my lap, there was no way I was going to stop eating it because I felt guilty over ordering two six dollar sandwiches and a twelve dollar salad, but I still couldn't stop myself from feeling the guilt.

"Sookie," Eric said, distracting me from my penny counting, "I am glad you ordered room service. I wasn't sure you would and I wasn't willing to let you go hungry, now please continue eating and if you do or don't want the food they bring you, it is of little importance. Money is never an issue."

"Maybe not for you," I muttered as I dug into the bag for my cheeseburger.

_Oh bless you, my sweet Viking!_ I thought as I took my first bite, though I dared not actually say such a thing.

"Has it occurred to you to ask Felipe for the money Sophie Anne owed you as part of a bargaining chip?"

_No, Eric. I'm sorry I wasn't focused on the bottom line. Maybe that is what makes you wealthy and me… well me, but I was marginally more concerned about losing my freedom. _

"Uh huh," I agreed in between bites; he didn't need to know I was merely acknowledging his idea and not claiming it as my own.

"I recommend you add it to your contract."

Reluctantly, I settled the remainder of the burger on the paper bag.

"You aren't serious are you?" I took one quick look at his face before continuing, "you expect me to sign this, don't you? Vampires… so high handed, they want everything on their terms…"

He didn't answer my questions.

"So this is what my life has come to – bargaining with vampires?" I asked, not really expecting an answer, considering his silent response to my other questions.

After another moment, he said "You could contact Niall as Mr. Cataliades suggested," but his face said an entirely different thing.

"Right, do you really think that? Because the look on your face suggests otherwise."

Unaware that he was giving anything away with his expression, he suddenly composed himself. I instantly wished I had phrased my question another way. Without his feelings displayed on his face, I really couldn't read him at all. Stupidly, I tried to fish into his mind once again.

"Sookie…" he said cautiously.

"What?" I snapped, looking up at his emotionless face.

"I wouldn't do that."

"What? Call Niall? That's why I was asking you, I do want your opinion, though I reserve the right to make my own."

"Not that. The other thing."

Completely clueless, I asked once more, "What Eric, what shouldn't I do?"

He leaned in close, so close that his hair was resting on my shoulder and I couldn't differentiate where his hair ended and mine started. My eyes widened as he allowed his face to relax and reveal his inner feelings; it wasn't good. The odd smile on his face was disturbing, the way his eyes bore into mine downright menacing, and the subtle sparkle within them as he spoke… absolutely frightening.

I shuddered. He _knew_ I was trying to read his mind; he could _feel_ it somehow. A million things ran through my mind, the most important of which were: _Was Eric just incredibly astute? Had I unintentionally tried to listen in on other vampires before? Would __**they**__ know? _

He leaned back, resuming his previous position on the bed, observing my face intently.

"Also, since you _asked_, my opinion is no. I would not recommend bringing Niall into this situation, as tempted as you may be," he said as if the entire two minutes before had not happened.

I faltered. He reached over to pick up a french fry; he guided it to my mouth.

"Eat," he said simply.

As I took the fry from his fingers and chewed, I composed my reply. He offered me another one, and when I politely declined, he frowned.

"Why?" I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper; I wasn't sure if I wanted the answer or not.

"There would be death. Fairies, vampires, and inadvertentdly humans."

If Eric was suddenly turning down a fight, I was surprised.

Sensing my curiosity, he continued, "We might lose Pam…" His face was full of sadness; I had never seen Eric so full of emotion, "or Bill, he would be called to fight as well. I have no doubt he would do so in your honor, and it would cost him his life, if not during the war, certainly after. He would have to atone for any rash decisions."

Assuming 'rash decisions' meant saving me and those I cared about, my face fell. Bill wasn't my favorite person, but I didn't want to condemn him to death just for loving me.

"Or your witch friend Amelia… and her boyfriend, Trey? He would be fair game in such a war."

I didn't need to tell Eric that they had broken up, in the end it mattered very little… I knew what he meant.

"Nothing you know, as it now or ever has been, would be the same. The fae are fierce warriors and I could not be held responsible for my actions."

He looked at me with such intensity that the insight I gleaned from his look filled in all the blanks – if they got in his way, he would not hesitate to kill my fairy relatives.

I wouldn't bring that upon them. I couldn't. Claudine was getting married. Niall had his own things to worry about. My situation suddenly paled in comparison.

"What do I do?" I asked weakly.

"Don't give up Sookie, don't ever give up."

He accompanied his words with a smile and I tried my best to return the favor. He leaned forward, picked up another french fry, and slid it into my mouth. I accepted it willingly; thankful for the few moments of silence the act allowed me.

"Manipulate the situation so it works out in your favor," he said simply, donning his usual Eric persona once more.

I smiled, hoping to elicit one in turn from him to no avail. Picking up the burger awkwardly in his large hand, he held it in front of my mouth. Still not ready to chime in on the conversation at hand, I took a big bite. Ketchup and mustard leaked down Eric's forearm. But before he could put the burger down and reach for a napkin, I finished the bite and reached out for his hand. Licking a trail from his elbow to his hand, I cleaned him thoroughly of all condiments.

He watched me hungrily and as I looked up into his eyes I saw his resolve snap in two.

"Sookie," he growled cautiously, before taking my face within his hands.

"Eric," I sighed as a surge of lust took over my body.

His mouth was just millimeters away from mine when a loud knock sounded on the door. He ignored it, crushing his mouth to mine in a heated kiss.

I, however, began to squirm against him, suddenly jolted by the knock. It wasn't just the knock at the door, it was reality; I didn't know what had come over me. I did not plan for this weekend to be about seducing Eric, honestly!

He didn't listen to my repeated pleading; it only seemed to spur him on as I cried, "Eric… Eric… Eric," between kisses. To be fair, my voice was breathy with sexual excitement; his name was nothing more than a moan escaping my lips. As soon as I threw the word "no" into the mix, he backed off immediately.

He threw up his hands in frustration; I smoothed my skirt and walked over to the door.

.

"Yes, thank you. I apologize for not coming to the door right away. I didn't order… Oh, I see… Well, thank you. Okay, you too," I said in response to the hotel employee who brought up my tray of food.

Curiously, the tray had an ice cream sundae on it I had not ordered.

"Eric?" I questioned as I set the tray on the table, taking a seat in a chair, cautious to avoid sitting next to him on the bed.

"You like ice cream."

"I know, but then you must have known I ordered food?"

"I did."

"But you brought me that," I said, pointing to the bag next to him on the bed.

"You like that too."

_How observant of him. How about something I don't know Eric?_

"Yes…" I agreed, "but you knew I ordered food. You didn't need to bring anything."

"Yes, I did know; they also told me how long it was going to take. It was unacceptable."

"30 minutes? How is that unacceptable?" I asked while picking up the spoon on the tray. There was really no sense in letting the ice cream go to waste, right?

****

A/N a minor interruption here to add my own personal comment – it goes something like this (still Sookie POV)

I thought I heard something in the air, but it didn't make any sense… it almost sounded like someone was there with me, narrating my very thoughts. "No sense in letting a perfectly good Viking go to waste Sookie! That's what I think!!" I heard. _What in the world was that? _I wondered. I found myself oddly in agreement as I jumped off the chair and walked toward Eric with a new purpose in mind… no part of him would be going to waste that night.

Okay, *sniffle* fantasy sequence over :*(

****

Obviously through with the discussion at hand, Eric brought our conversation back to Niall.

"Will you call on Niall? he asked.

"No, he's got his own troubles," I replied, without thinking, as I licked the spoon clean of a sticky layer of caramel.

Looking at Eric, I noticed his eyes were fixated on the spoon. Putting it down on the tray, I blushed.

Eric shook his head and asked, "What do you mean 'he has his own troubles'?"

_Uh oh. I'd just stepped in it._

"Umm, nothing really. It's just that I think he probably has other, more important things to deal with at the moment."

"Why 'at the moment'? What are you not telling me Sookie?"

I was stubborn, but Eric was persistent. I didn't have it in my heart to battle it out with him; he _always_ won in the end.

"Niall believes someone is trying to…" I took my time sounding out the next word as I said it, "usurp his position."

Quite proud of myself for utilizing a word of the day I never thought would come up in casual conversation, I smiled at Eric.

"Usurp, huh? Is that the term Niall used?"

"No, that word was mine, though in a round about way he said the same thing."

"You do know what usurp means?"

"Yes!" I said indignantly.

He chuckled and looked at me with interest.

"Go on then."

"It means to take something when you don't have the right to it."

"Yes, that is correct. Therefore, I am curious as to why you used it the manner you did. Would you not agree that it was Niall who obtained the position by inappropriate means in the first place? Henceforth, those claiming it may well be within their right to do so."

"What?"

I was flabbergasted; I had no idea what he was saying.

"I see he hasn't told you how he came to be a fairy prince."

"No? I assumed it was just like every other prince, fairy or not – genetic luck."

"You would be wrong to make that assumption Sookie."

"Fairies aren't born with titles?"

"Some are… others sequester them through forceful manipulation."

"What are you trying to insinuate?"

"Niall killed the rightful fairy king and queen of North America and all those loyal to them over five centuries ago. There were surviving members of the royal family, but they were mere children at the time; I am unsure of where they are now."

"He _killed_ them? Just to take over the throne? Why? Why would he do that?" I asked in utter disbelief.

"He had his reasons."

"You don't know them?"

"I wasn't living in North America at the time; the situation didn't really affect me."

"But since then… have you found out anything?"

"Your ice cream is melting."

"What?" I said, looking down, "oh." I picked up the spoon and moved it around in the bowl half-heartedly.

"Why did Niall tell you this?"

It took me a minute to remember what started the conversation.

"He wanted me to be safe, I guess. He's been helping me avoid their influence."

"He is willingly assisting you so that you have the power to defy him?"

_Uhh… I'd never really thought of it like that._ I wondered if Eric ever resented the fact he couldn't control me.

"I guess."

"He believes you might be a target?"

"Maybe," I answered, scooping up a spoonful of melted ice cream.

"I should have never introduced you."

"Eric, I think we both know he would have found a way if he wanted to."

"I don't like being part of this."

I let the next spoonful of ice cream soup drip slowly back into the bowl as I stared at him.

"If forced to choose sides, Sookie, I will obey my king. My position is in jeopardy already."

Suddenly the theme song from jeopardy was playing in my mind over and over and I couldn't even think straight to address what he said.

"Sookie… Sookie," Eric repeated with increasing concern.

_Dah-dah dah-dah dah-dah dah, dah-dah dah-dah dup dah dah dah dah dah, _played on repeat in my mind.

Eric reached out, grabbed my shoulders, and shook me gently; I didn't even realize he had crossed the room until I felt my body shake.

"Sookie, what's gotten into you?" he questioned.

"I… I don't know," I admitted honestly, the song still playing in the back of my mind.

"You should go to sleep; you look tired."

"I guess…"

Picking me up from the chair, he carried me to the bed as if I was weightless, balancing me against his hip as he pushed the covers back.

Unable to clear my mind entirely, I felt incredibly vulnerable as I looked up at him.

"Stay with me?" I squeaked out, not caring how helpless I sounded.

"Of course, I'll be right back."

He went to his coffin and came back with two knives.

"What are those for?" I asked with wide eyes.

Chuckling, he answered, "They are iron Sookie; it is always better to be cautious. We'll talk more tomorrow evening."

"Okay," I said, agreeing quietly.

He placed one knife on the table next to him and slid the other between the headboard and the mattress.

I closed my eyes as he lay down on the bed and enveloped me in his arms.

I leaned my head back against Eric's shoulder for a minute before jumping away from him suddenly. A huge sword penetrated Eric's shoulder and he yelled loudly.

The theme song was still coursing through my mind and I hit myself in the head, trying to get my wits about me. Concentrating, using one of the relaxation techniques Niall taught me, I was able to shake it.

I jumped up and looked at Eric. His jaw was clenched; he was fighting back pain.

"Sookie, pull it out."

Without another word spoken, I gripped the handle and pulled up. I was interrupted by a voice from across the room.

"Come. To. Me," said the slithery voice.

I struggled to disobey, gripping the handle of the sword tight within my hands.

"Up works, Sookie, pull up!" Eric said encouragingly, his face contorted in pain.

Following Eric's direction, I yanked on the sword with all my might as the other voice in the room screamed, "You will not do as he says! Come with me _now._"

As soon as the sword was dislodged, Eric grabbed both knives. He handed me one quickly before moving swiftly across the room.

I barely had a second to notice the other man in the room and his striking green eyes before he was nothing more than a glittering cloud of fairy dust. As it twinkled down to the floor, Eric collapsed.

"Eric!" I screeched, running to his side, dropping the knife as I ran.

"Sookie, get the knife," he said, his voice raspy, "he may not be the only one."

"What? Oh!" I said, as I scrambled across the floor to pick up the knife I dropped.

"He was a fairy?" I asked when I returned to Eric's side, knife in hand.

"Yes."

Eric was clutching his shoulder; blood continued to pour of the wound.

"Why aren't you healing?"

"Silver, the sword was silver."

"What can I do? Eric tell me what I can do."

TBC…


	28. A Safe Hideaway

A/N Okay, I didn't mean to leave ya hanging! I think too much – the delete button and I are like partners in crime. We apologize for our misdemeanor and hope not to repeat offend.

I'd like to thank Holly and dexgal for reading over portions of this chapter for me, Julie for her EV suggestions ;), and Sam for fixing the words I made up! lol

.

.

Now, where did we leave our favorite supernatural couple? ;) Oh yeah, in a hotel room with Eric bleeding. Lovely… right? Well, I assure you we get to that straight away. Finn wanted to have a POV in reaction to what happened first, but I told him he'd have to wait (yeah… that did not go over well). Expect him later in this chapter briefly (and in the next chapter a nice long section… because I promised him… not because I was in any way threatened…)

.

dialogue recap :

"He was a fairy?" I asked when I returned to Eric's side, knife in hand. (iron knife, to kill more fairies if necessary)

"Yes." (apparently the floor full of fairy dust did *not* tip her off)

Eric was clutching his shoulder; blood continued to pour of the wound. (aww!)

"Why aren't you healing?" (Sookie, as always, asking the wrong question)

"Silver, the sword was silver." (it had to be, right?)

"What can I do? Eric tell me what I can do." (bingo, right question! But come on, Sook… you know!)

.

.

.

I had a feeling I already knew what I _could_ do, but for some reason, though I was willing, I needed to hear it from him. Call me what you will, but I wasn't about to throw myself at him, lest he begin to feel entitled.

"Sookie," Eric said, his eyes on mine intently.

"Yes, Eric?"

"Get the blood," he said, indicating the True Blood on the bedside table. "And _do not_ put down that knife."

_The True Blood?_ _Seriously?_

My face must have revealed my surprise because Eric's face flashed with newfound confidence as his lips curled into a smirk.

"Unless you're offering," he said before slowly pulling his shirt up over his head.

"I didn't," I said in reply as I picked up the case of True Blood. Gran would have no doubt referred to my response as a half truth; while the statement in itself _was_ true… my mind was not fully in agreement with my mouth.

It was interesting, to say the least, to carry the cardboard case of True Blood back to Eric in one hand while trying to remain poised with the knife in the other.

Eric's words, "do not put down that knife," and the serious tone with which he said them forced me to stay alert as I made my way from one end of the room to the other.

When I sat down next to Eric, he reached out with his free hand for one of the bottles of True Blood.

"Here hand me one bottle and pour the other into the wound."

_Into the wha? _I thought, and a "Why?" unwittingly escaped my lips.

"Sookie, seriously?" he questioned, moving his blood covered palm to allow access to the wound.

I was sure he didn't really want an answer. Luckily, I had realized my blunder before Eric even called me out on it. However, I was clearly destined to question everything he asked of me.

As I attempted to purge my mind of its questions, I stared at the wound on Eric's shoulder. With the pressure of his hand removed, the blood – thick, dark, and purple – began to flow again. It didn't look right and I had seen enough vampire blood to know.

Even the skin surrounding the place where the blade penetrated looked peculiar. If I didn't know better, I would say it looked bruised – tinged with yellow, brown, and eggplant like a banana a week past its 'let's make banana bread' stage.

Focusing on the situation, I did what Eric asked of me; I handed him a bottle of True Blood and began to empty the second bottle into the wound.

I mumbled, "Sorry," as I did so, watching with amazement as the True Blood diluted the revoltingly dense, amethyst colored blood.

Unable to stop myself, yet again, I asked, "Why is your blood purple?"

Eric paused; I watched as he reluctantly moved the bottle away from his lips.

"Silver poisoning, it is best we flush the area," he said with a grunt before tipping the bottle back to his lips.

"Eric, give me that!"

I reached out for the bottle, swiftly removing it from Eric's hands (though let's face it, he had to _let me_). If his wound needed to be flushed, we were going to use all the True Blood available. There was no way I was going to wait for room service and he was offering no other options.

Eric smiled faintly; it was in stark contrast to the smirk he managed just moments earlier. I had a fleeting thought – _was he was putting it on? – _but dismissed it, though his grip on the bottle was surprisingly lax…

He licked the blood off his lips and looked wantonly at the bottle I had in my hand.

"Lover, it is important I start healing internally as well."

I didn't give it a second thought; I immediately took the choice away from him by pouring the second bottle out on his shoulder. He _would_ be healing internally. He just needed to hold his horses; I could only do one thing at a time!

He flashed me a sour look as he watched the blood flow from the bottle.

When I was finished, he looked to me meekly. _Bastard!_ I knew it. Eric was not meek; this _was_ some kind of rouse.

Unwilling to back down at that point, I said, "You can drink from me," as I thrust my wrist in front of his mouth.

He smiled; I scowled at his gall.

"Sookie… I hate to dishearten you, but the wrist is not the fastest way for me to take your blood. Unless you wish for me to tear it open? It may scar… that would be a pity."

_What?!_ I thought, more frustrated with the issue of speed rather than scarring; truly, what was one more at this point?

Throwing the empty bottles aside, I jumped up and removed my pajama pants so quickly I was sure I'd take first prize in a pants shucking race – if they had such contests, that is.

I positioned myself above Eric so that my thigh was just above his mouth. He placed one hand on my leg to steady me; I took a deep breath as his fingers spread across my leg and his grip strengthened.

He looked up into my face hungrily before biting into my femoral artery.

My head spun as I felt Eric feed from me. I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

I ran my right hand through my hair aimlessly, tugging wildly as I became aroused; I wanted to touch him so badly – _any_ part of him… and I usually played favorites. The thought of Eric's smooth skin in contact with my mouth or my hands was simply too much.

I whimpered.

His lips were so cool against the warm, rarely exposed, skin of my inner thigh… shivers _and_ sparks were shooting through my body. I was both freezing and burning at the same time, in a state of ecstatic delirium, as my hand followed the curve of my neck, down past my breasts in search of my center.

Unable to reach Eric, I rubbed my fingers greedily against my most sensitive spot, drawing the wet fabric of my underwear through my folds to build friction, pushing the palm of my hand voraciously against my lower stomach.

Eric's eyes lit up; I struggled to comprehend their clarity through my mental fog… and in the end I gave up. I let the feelings overpower me; it felt too good not to.

His free arm reached around to caress my lower back, and he held me like that until I climaxed.

*********

My eyes closed dreamily as he licked the puncture marks on my thigh; I enjoyed the last few moments of the intimate connection that could come with vampire nourishment.

My entire body shook when he relaxed his hold on me.

In the struggle to steady myself, my mind was jolted back into reality.

However, the rest of me had not caught up; I was still trembling, my body coursing with energy when I heard him chuckling.

"Lover, as much as I would enjoy… continuing…"

His eyes roamed my exposed legs as he spoke and I felt a chill spread through me starting with the area where my underwear clung, damp against my body.

"I believe that now that I am recovering… we should get going."

_Easy for him to say!_

I moved backward, stumbling into his chest in an attempt to get up. Eric watched with interest, moving his arms to allow my retreat. My legs didn't have enough strength to support me; I wasn't going anywhere just yet.

Temporarily sitting on his chest, I looked at his injury, practically studying it as a distraction. The wound was smaller, the coloring of his skin slightly less bruised-looking, but the blood in the area was still a purple red, more maroon than its usual crimson.

"Should we get more True Blood?"

Eric looked at my face for a moment and chose not to answer as his eyes traveled back down to my legs. He smiled.

"The wound still isn't closed," I said, drawing his attention back to my face.

"It will heal. The sword was not in long."

He spoke confidently; I should have been reassured, but I needed something to divert my attention from his bare chest underneath me.

I tried to focus on what I could tell Niall. This would obviously concern him, though I'd have to work a way around discussing my current vampire related issues with him…

I tried to piece together the information I remembered about the fairy that could be useful in identifying him.

He was of average height, thin… perhaps a bit too thin? He was actually kind of wiry looking. If he had been human, I would have guessed he was maybe 45-50 years of age. I knew that was really no indication of anything with fairies, but maybe it would help somehow? I wasn't sure how much Niall could rely on the potion and how much he would be counting on my memory for. _Would I unknowingly spit out a description or a proper name if asked? So far, I had known all the beings I came into contact with, so the list that came from my mouth when Niall repeated the spell made sense. Maybe the word ENEMY would be printed on my wrist in red letters?_

I continued adding to my memory – the fairy was incredibly attractive for an older looking 'man' with beautiful green eyes that seemed vaguely familiar to me. And then it came to me – Finn! He also had lovely green eyes, not the same shade, but just as bright – although Finn's were usually full of mischief. I hadn't gotten a long enough look at the fairy to tell what his main emotion was. I wondered if green eyes that striking were common?

Eric grunted and moved a little underneath me. I put a hand against his chest and tried my legs again. _Nope, still not ready._

Eric didn't get that memo from my brain, mostly because he was a vampire and not a telepath, but also because Eric did what Eric wanted, regardless of whether or not you were ready for it.

He had apparently regained his strength because he pulled me on top of him with ease. My legs went flying out behind me as he moved me and the tingling sensation was painful – my legs really weren't ready to be moved yet. Somehow he made up for it though by holding me tight against his body as he kissed my hair.

"Thank you," I thought I heard from the Viking. But, surely I was mistaken? His chest rumbled lightly as if he were speaking, but I still wasn't convinced. He smoothed my hair away from my face, holding my body snug against his with his other arm. He really did have a vice like grip when he wanted to! It was pretty useless for me to try anything at that point. I hardly wanted to with my legs in such a state anyhow.

I was thankful he was allowing me enough room to breathe, although at the same time cursed because what I was breathing was his glorious scent and it was starting to make me feel weak again.

I had the distinct feeling that this was not the best way to get me ready to leave. _Didn't he just say we should leave?_ It probably had something to do with the possibility of another fairy attack, but I honestly couldn't remember and I was truly starting not to care.

He moved his hand from my hair down to my backside and squeezed. I laughed; he was certainly not accomplishing his mission (which I still believed to be leaving the hotel) like this.

"Well, what should we do Eric? You cant just hold me until the sun comes up; it isnt going to help."

"Oh it helps, lover, I assure you," he said, though his arm became slack around me as he spoke the words.

I scrambled to get off of him; it wasn't the most graceful movement in history, but at least my legs held me that time. I made my way over to the bed, breathing air deep into my lungs in an attempt to oxygenate my brain. I really wanted it to start working properly again.

When I looked back at Eric, I noticed that he was sitting up, looking at his shoulder, watching it heal. The color of his skin was clearing up, reverting to its ecru white, well almost – he had that rosy glow about him because of the blood he had taken from me.

_He wasn't the only one left flushed,_ I thought as my tongue all but lolled in my mouth.

"It isn't safe to stay. Someone clearly expected us here. Get your things together Sookie, we should have enough time for that. It is my belief that they would have come back immediately while I was incapacitated if they meant to harm you. I must say, it is a strange tactic they are using but I still think its better to leave," he said as he started to stand and get up on his feet.

I wondered if the end of his speech was truly meant for me or if he was merely speaking to himself out loud – that is what it sounded like to me.

Moving my clothes back to my suitcase with one hand, I gripped the small iron dagger tightly in my fist. I sighed, remembering how much time I spent packing everything into the drawers neatly.

Eric put his hands on my shoulders and I spun around to face him.

"Calm down," he said, handing me a leather sheath.

_Calm down?? Was he crazy? _Now that my alert was back up, I was finding it hard to calm down.

"You're the one that told me not to put the knife down," I said in reply.

"As exciting as it has been to watch you hold that weapon lover, I believe it is time to put it away."

He looked so pleased with himself as he spoke. Sliding the knife into the sheath he gave me, I looked around the room again.

"Sookie, you'll be better equipped to handle an enemy if you aren't so tense. Relax. There is no need to expect it. We both know you are more than capable of defending yourself when caught by surprise."

We exchanged a knowing look. He took the sheathed knife out of my hands and slid my shirt up.

"Eric, what are yo…"

"Will you question my actions forever Sookie?"

I shrugged. I had no idea what the next five minutes would bring – how could I tell him what forever would bring. He tightened the strap attached to the sheath under my bustline and I fought the urge to giggle as his fingers swept over soft, delicate skin.

I did my best to "relax" as I packed the rest of my bags.

After a few moments, Eric turned to me and asked, "Ready?"

"I guess so," I replied, shrugging my shoulders

"Excellent, we will leave via the window."

"With our bags?" I asked skeptically; we were on the sixth floor.

"No, the luggage will stay behind."

"What? Eric, why did I just spend my time packing my things?"

"I knew you would prefer to pack your items yourself. We will call for them to be retrieved later."

"And what do we do with that?" I asked, pointing to the scattered pile of iridescent flakes.

"It will be cleaned, Sookie. We do not have to worry ourselves with its disposal."

I looked at him indignantly.

"Do you wish to bag it and take it home for luck? That is terribly morbid Sookie. This is not a Peter Pan movie."

Eric grinned widely as he always did when he mentioned something modern and thought he was awfully clever. I had several witticisms on the tip of my tongue, but he beat me to the punch by saying, "It is time," while _opening_ the window.

Eric's method of opening the window was ripping it from the wall. I didn't think the windows were _meant_ to be opened. They certainly were not designed to fit a 6'4" viking through them, that was for sure.

_With me in tow,_ I added mentally as I gulped.

I thought it best not to study our escape route. I had leapt out of taller buildings with much less prospect of surviving, but saw no benefit in getting a good look at the drop.

I wrapped my arms around Eric and he pulled them tighter, shaking slightly to make sure I was firmly attached. When he seemed happy with the way I was adjusted against him, he hovered – a feeling I clearly hadn't got used to. I squealed and pressed my head against his chest involuntarily.

"I've got you" he said reassuringly.

I nodded, locking my ankles together as tight as possible behind his back. He wrapped us both up in his jacket.

He eased us out the "window" (or more accurately, large hole in the wall) feet first and we flew through the night to who knows where. I was hoping Eric did.

While pressed securely against Eric's chest, I allowed myself one petty, stray thought about my clothes. I nearly cried thinking about all the things I'd packed. I tried to console myself with thoughts of the check Eric said we might be able to get from Felipe.

Around thirty minutes later, we landed in a rooftop garden.

Still holding him tight, I asked "Where are we?"

"I own this building. I have a safe room in the basement."

He freed a hand to point to a door I assumed lead to stairs.

"I would ask you to follow me, but you choosing not to let go works just as easily," he said as he strode toward the door with me still wrapped around him.

"Eric, I can walk!" I said as he opened the door. I took note of the steep staircase; I would have taken a step backward if I was on my own.

"I didn't think you wanted to."

"Well, I do," I confirmed, lying through my teeth.

"We don't have to walk," he said, hovering over the first step.

I clutched him tighter, balling his coat in my fists.

He took that as his cue to continue downward; I didn't bother to correct him because by the time I had the opportunity, we were too far from the top. We would have had to land on one of the stairs and I wasn't game to see how that would go down. I would have been surprised if Eric could fit one foot on the step width ways.

After what felt like forever, we reached a landing and a door that 'surprise!' led to another set of stairs.

I had detached myself from Eric by this point as he had to type in a security code.

He opened the door and I slipped past him to walk down a few poorly lit stairs on my own. The only light was coming from a small security light above the door. It was clearly meant to be a path for vampires only.

Being attached to a vampire with night vision was suddenly looking good again.

"Eric?" I questioned as he brushed past me on the stairs.

He chuckled and flashed a grin, which was truly alarming in the dark before moving down to the next step.

_Was he really not going to help me? _

Then when he was turning back around on the step, he pushed his back against me, grabbing me with his arms to slide me up onto his back. He placed his hands firmly on my backside to scoot me further up his back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

When I tucked my chin into his back, he ran the rest of the way down the stairs; I'm not sure he even touched another step. The feeling was thrilling!

We reached another door and he reached around with one arm to hold me against him, using his other arm to punch in the next code.

He took three long strides into the room and placed me on a soft surface. A bed, I thought. I couldn't really tell in the dark. _Were there no lights here? _

"Here let me take that for you," he said, removing my purse from my hand.

I started to speak, but he interrupted me, "Shh, lover, go to sleep. I have many calls to make, I will be back shortly."

_What? he was leaving me here? Hell no._

"Look, Eric, please, can I talk with Niall before you tell Felipe what happened, please?"

I couldn't see Eric's face or even place where he was in the room, it was disconcerting.

I started to get up, but then pictured all of the things he could have in the room I could trip on and decided against it.

There was silence for about two minutes before he responded; I was getting antsy awaiting his reply. Antsy and irritated.

"No. Felipe must be the first one informed. The fates of many have rested solely on my shoulders for countless centuries, remember that lover."

He knew I couldn't really do anything about it because I was in the dark (literally).

I started to protest but his overpowering voice silenced me.

"There is magic surrounding this room, it is safe. No fairies can enter."

"Can I take this knife off then? Where can I put it? I can't see a thing."

"Here, let me," he said and in an instant I could feel his large weight on the bed and my body sloped toward him; I was somewhat caught off guard. He lifted up my shirt again and removed the strap and knife, settling it down on what sounded like a table next to me.

He put his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"Go to sleep. I'll be back before morning, we will spend the day here."

"Are there lights?" I questioned.

"You would only get into trouble with lights. Wait here for me."

I pictured Eric's face – there was no doubt in my mind that last sentence was accompanied by some kind of leer… but as I couldn't see him, I couldn't be sure. I was quickly becoming livid, but he was gone.

I stood on the bed and felt the wall for any light switches. No luck. Of course it couldn't be that easy.

Again, I was tempted to but decided against leaving the bed. I had a feeling my imagination would not do justice to what Eric could have in a self proclaimed safe room.

I put my mind to work again – remembering all the details (what little details there were) from that night so I could call Niall as soon as I had a chance. It was really getting me that my purse was probably somewhere in that room, or rooms? But, I didn't dare try to find it to get my cell phone. I half wished it would ring so I could be lead toward it but who would call me at that time of night? It must have already been around 1am…

I fell asleep while I was lost in thought – _green eyes…_

**Finn POV**

"I was starting to think you weren't coming," I said warily as she entered my study.

I had a feeling my brother's recent death had something to do with his ridiculous claims about being able to tame her easily… However, I wasn't sure if she was directly responsible or not.

She looked at me peculiarly as she approached; I wasn't sure if it was because the jig was up so to speak or if she was wondering why I was being so cautious with her when I was usually very affectionate. She smiled at my comment but seemed fixated on my eyes. I blinked several times, but she continued to stare.

I steadied my thoughts. It was only mildly irritating to have to keep a stream of Were-like thoughts going when she was around; it was more insulting rather than anything else.

I sent her a bit of garbled affection through my thoughts to make up for the way I was behaving. I wasn't about to let her close to me if she was hiding a weapon on her. I let my eyes scan her body, there was a faint smell of iron about her and the smell of Cian, but no weapon currently present as far as I could tell.

She had seen my brother that night then, I was sure of it. I sighed internally. _Was she responsible?_ I hoped it wouldn't set anything back.

Cian was a poor excuse for a fairy, we had never truly gotten along – he had moved out of our family castle centuries before I was born and we only seemed to clash in business /political dealings.

Suffice to say, none of my brothers were particularly pleased my father had chosen me as the most suited candidate for supplanting Niall. But it wasn't only my father's decision. Whether that made it worse or better, I really had no idea.

Many of the royal European families had put forth their heirs, and many others had considered it a foolish attempt but would make no effort to get in our way as according to tradition, we had the right.

Ireland was the home of the Fae after all. My father was the oldest fairy in existence currently and he was respected by many.

He skillfully avoided any communication with fairies that were clearly friends of Niall's, and had me erase the memories of any 'close calls.' Together, we would take his kingdom to the newest world, claiming the land for the royal family as it should have been done over five centuries prior.

I immediately made the wise decision not to tell my father about Sookie's connection to Cian's death. If Cian's wife Sarah found out she would become just as rash as Cian was in his final moments.

I had no doubt she would attempt to kill Sookie. And although I knew her efforts would be useless, I didn't need anyone to try. I would share the information of her immortality with Sookie when we got to that point. No one else needed to know.

I doubted Sarah knew where Sookie's mother rested or even who Sookie's mother was, but I couldn't take the chance. Not the chance of losing Sookie, that wasn't a true fear in my mind. But rather the chance of having to kill Sarah – she had children to raise, and I knew it wasn't right to take her away from them. I didn't need to start an internal war in my family, not at a time like this, it just wasn't worth it – I'd avoid it as long as I can.

"Sookie, can you come here?" I asked, patting the desk in front of me.

She walked toward me, still watching my eyes like a hawk and I felt my stomach lurch. I didn't like the way she was looking at me. And I didn't like the feeling in the pit of my stomach either. Even in my corporal form, I rarely felt such a feeling.

I pushed back away from the desk in my chair when she rounded the desk and she leaned against the desk in front of me. I stood up for a second to lift her and place her on the desk, then sat back in my chair, scooting the chair closer again, settling her feet between my legs on the chair.

"Where are you supposed to be?" I asked her.

"In New Orleans with Eric"

"The vampire?" I questioned, unhappy with what she was wearing – these were not her normal sleeping clothes.

"Yes"

"And where is he now?"

"Off running around doing god knows what, he just left me there. In the room, in complete darkness he just left me."

I reached forward and ran a finger along her jaw line; she leaned into my gesture, closing her eyes in pleasure.

"I'm sorry princess, shall I kill him?"

Her eyes flashed open. "What? No! How could you?"

Then her eyes met with mine again and I watched as she connected the dots.

"You! You know him!" She jumped up on her feet. "What is this? Some kind of sick joke?"

I tried playing dumb.

"I don't follow? Who do you believe I know, the vampire?"

She just stared at me, nostrils flaring, eyes full of heat.

"My, my, Sookie. You have quite the imagination."

"I need to get out of here," she said, scrambling across the room.

I smiled, she was truly at my mercy. I had a fleeting thought about changing all my plans, taking her to my room and pleasuring her until she forgot all about leaving. She would never need to go back to the other realm. It would complicate things for a short while, but the vampire couldn't find her here and we could hold off a little longer before taking reign in the new world. Surely the vampire would forget her in that time…

******

"How do I get out of here?" she asked, breaking me from my thought process.

It was amusing, would she even believe me if I told her that to get out of here she'd have to leave the way she came? Relax and fall asleep? She looked as far from relaxed as one human could get. Her heart rate was out of control.

"You won't tell me?" she demanded, and I felt the trust between us wane. I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good for our growing bond, so I had to put a stop to it.

"I'll tell you," I said as I walked toward her.

She stayed glued in that spot. Her eyes glossed over and I told her what I wanted to tell her, not necessarily what she wanted to hear.

She would never remember my brother or visiting me that evening in her 'dreams.'

As I released her from my gaze, she dropped to the floor. I caught her as she fell, and placed her gently on the rug in front of the large fireplace. I would have taken her to the bedroom, but she would be gone soon enough.

And I was right, less than two minutes later she was gone. I hoped the vampire had not returned to their room in New Orleans… she was here for under half an hour. I didn't risk following her to find out, it wouldn't be worth it. At least she was clueless as to where she had been. Only time would tell the rest.

I sat back at my desk, running my fingers along the spot on the desk she was had perched on, lost in contemplation, mentally picturing the sparing match with Northman. He would be a formidable opponent, no doubt.

Thinking of this, I called the brother closest in age to me – Cathmor for some practice. I might have had a little _aggression_ to work out as well.

**Sookie POV**

When I woke up, Eric was beside me on the bed and I could smell… food. My stomach growled and my eyes searched the room, why would he torment me with food and not give it to me? Or at least leave it closer…

I sat up and shook him slightly to see if it was day time or not, I really had no idea as we were essentially in a windowless room.

"What if I had to go to the bathroom!" I wanted to scream at him.

When he didn't wake, I started to lay back down, clenching my fists in silent fury.

I heard something crinkle next to my shoulder, I picked it up… it felt like paper. I sat up and something rolled toward my leg – a flashlight.

Turning it on, I flashed it around the room to quickly scout things out before turning my attention to the piece of paper.

From what I could see the room was very understated, but still very Eric. I sighed and spared a glance in his direction, flashing the light up and down his body; it didn't seem to disturb him at all.

Then I opened the paper and saw the worst words possible – it said 'no bathroom'

_What did he mean no bathroom? _

Apparently he left a 'receptacle' (how kind of him) in the kitchen area, and there was food on the counter.

I lit my way carefully to the little kitchen like area to scrutinize the food he brought. There were some good snack things, some of my favorites in fact. He must really have spent his free time at my house looking through my cupboards. I didn't know how I felt about that. Was he trying to get to know me or perhaps looking for something else and stumbled upon my favorite things by chance?

I made sure to avoid the drinks and liquid items, including the oranges. I thought oranges contain orange juice and I wanted to avoid the 'receptacle' (white plastic bucket) as long as I could.

I found a small clock on the wall and saw that it was already 3 in the afternoon. I hoped Eric would be up as soon as the sun set. Just thinking about not going to the bathroom made me feel kind of like I had to go to the bathroom.

I noticed that there were also a few books he left for me on the table, but I couldn't see a light switch anywhere, just what looked like security panels on many of the walls. _Convenient._ There were no lamps or anything anywhere. Suppressing my inner urge to rifle through the entire room, I walked back to the bed and flashed the light on and off on the ceiling before I was swamped with my own thoughts once more.

I guess I had fallen asleep at some point because it was Eric that roused me from my sleep when night came around instead of it being the other way around.

"Ready?" Eric asked.

"For what?"

"We are going to meet with the king."

"We're going home?"

"He is meeting us in New Orleans."

"Oh… What about Mr. Ca?"

"He and his team will be there. You can discuss things with them in private. The king also would like you to know, he will make himself available to you if you have any questions."

I could tell Eric really struggled having to spit out that last bit.

"How kind of him," I said before thinking to add, "He didn't say if he was willing to change his mind about the blood exchange did he?"

"No."

I looked to him for further clarification.

"I would be very surprised if he did so willingly."

"Got a plan Viking?"

He smirked. "Always."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"When it is necessary. Come, let's go. Here is your knife. Slip it into the sheath like before. Good. You can access it from there with ease."

"I can't really go wearing my pajamas Eric," I said as I tightened the strap around my ribcage.

"It will do for now," he said, looking at me like he was undressing me with his eyes. "I had your things sent over to the king's building. They should be there and you wish to change. I happen to think you look charming. Satin, are they?" He smirked, then looked to me for approval of his previous statement.

"Yes" I mumbled. _Like I had any choice_.

He hoisted me up on his back once more, and flew up the stairs. Before I knew it, we were out in the cool night air once more.

I groaned. _My clothes had better be there._

Less than fifteen minutes later, we landed in front of an antiquated building with two guards out front. I quickly jumped off Eric's back, burying my face against his shoulder as we approached.

"Smells like…" came a voice from one of the guards, "Sookie Stackhouse."

"Uhh, yes," I said searching the minds of the guards; they were vampires.

Eric didn't look pleased when he realized who it was, but I instantly felt at ease; it was Rasul.

"Cute outfit," Rasul said, his dark eyes scanning me up and down. "Interesting choice."

I smiled at him and Eric looked at me disapprovingly. I couldn't care less, I just smiled wider and said "Thank you"

Eric gripped my forearm and led me past the guards and I almost forgot what I was wearing thanks to the little pick me up from Rasul.

To my surprise Rasul followed behind us, I think I even heard him click his tongue against the roof of his mouth in appreciation. But I may have imagined that, I don't have vampire hearing, but Eric who was next to me and did tensed up a little. I was pretty sure that confirmed my suspicion. I allowed myself the compliment at the moment, adding a little extra something to my walk in gratitude.

Once inside the building, Eric moved his hand to my lower back to guide me toward a staircase.

"Second door on the left, your suitcase _and_ garment bag should be in there. There is a bathroom, feel free to have a shower. I'll see you downstairs in 30 minutes."

"Where do I meet you?"

"Your number one fan will show you," Eric said with a laugh as he gave me a little push toward the first step.

I watched him walk away, disappearing down the long hallway.

Rasul stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"After you lovely lady," he said, gesturing forward with his hand.

"Thank you Rasul."

When we reached the door Eric indicated, Rasul opened it for me. I was thrilled to see my suitcases inside; they looked undisturbed. I let out a cry of relief and grinned.

"I'll be right outside Miss, let me know if you require any assistance."

"Thanks Rasul," I said, patting him kindly on the arm.

He looked at me sideways in reaction, but smiled nonetheless.

I entered the room and closed the door behind me, though I didn't bother to lock it. It wouldn't stop a vampire anyway, and it gave me a little thrill to know I would be having a shower just moments away from the gorgeous soldier out in the hallway. Nothing wrong with a little fun. No harm done.

I lifted my suitcase up and placed it on the bed, took the items out that I would need and went into the bathroom. It was a nice room, elegant yet understated with a lovely claw foot bathtub. As I removed my clothes, I wished I had more time to take a nice bath, but as it was I would be lucky to get my hair dry after a shower. I would have to err on the side of caution; I didn't have a watch on.

Thinking about that fact, I wrapped a towel around my body and walked back out into the bedroom to look for a clock, but didn't see one there either. _Great,_ I thought.

I went to the door and whispered, "Rasul, can you hear me?"

"Yes Miss," he said in a low voice, though loud enough for me to hear.

"Can you knock when twenty five minutes have passed?"

"Of course, Miss. It would be my pleasure."

"Thank you," I whispered back nervously before racing back into the bathroom.

My heart thumped heavily against my chest as I started the shower. _Maybe a little too much of a thrill,_ I thought, locking the bathroom door before hopping into the steamy shower.

I showered quickly and dried off, allowing myself a few luxurious moments to lather up my arms and legs with some of Gran's favorite lilac scented lotion. I needed all of the confidence I could get and it always comforted me to smell that scent.

I towel dried my hair, and blow dried it for around three minutes. The virtual countdown in my head wasn't going too well, but Rasul hadn't knocked yet, so I guessed I was going okay for time.

I thought about getting dressed in the bathroom as I had left the door to the main room unlocked and it would be a little weird to unlock it just then, but decided against it – it was too muggy and I didn't want my clothes clinging to me.

I slipped into one of my new dresses, a charcoal cotton dress with a subtle checked pattern and black lace yolk detailing, pairing it with black flats and cranberry tights. Claudine was right on the money when she said the dress looked good with these color tights, I was used to wearing neutrals, but this was oddly flattering. I did a quick twirl in the mirror to check for static cling. I was safe!

I was just buttoning the last button on my cardigan when Rasul knocked firmly on the door twice.

"Coming!" I shouted, forgetting my surroundings.

I grabbed my bag and opened the door.

"Now that's the kind of ensemble I'm used to from you," he said, taking my hand in his motioning for me to twirl. I obliged him, giggling as I spun.

"We'd best be going," he said warmly as he pretended to look at his watch.

I laughed.

"He doesn't like to wait," he said with amusement in his eyes.

"Who? Felipe?"

"No, Eric. Though I wouldn't mind keeping him waiting," he said with a wink.

I returned the wink and took his offered arm; he escorted me down the stairs.

As we walked down the long hallway, he asked, "So you've been in some trouble lately Miss?"

"Please Rasul, call me Sookie, and I guess you could call it that. Eric killed a fairy last night in our hotel room, but I suppose you already know that."

"Yes Sookie, I heard. I'm disappointed I missed the fight."

"Oh, well, you know Eric, there actually wasn't much of a fight."

"Really?"

I nodded. Rasul looked faintly surprised, but quickly suppressed the emotion as we entered a large meeting room of sorts. His posture stiffened and our camaraderie instantly faded; he became the vigilant soldier once more.

Felipe and his retinue stood as soon as they noticed me; I watched with interest as Eric followed suit, pushing himself up out of his chair by placing two large hands on the table.

Felipe advanced, taking my hand in his, lifting it to his cool lips for a kiss. The coolness of his soft lips on my warm from the shower skin took me by surprise and I jumped back a bit.

"Sookie, it is lovely to see you, Please sit here," he said, while pulling out a chair next to Mr. Ca. As soon as I was seated, everyone returned to their chairs, except for Rasul who stood attentively by the doorway, hand on his sheathed weapon.

Eric fell back into his chair with a particularly loud thud. _Graceful_, I thought as my eyes darted toward him.

"Watch me," he mouthed and I inclined my head slightly to show that I understood.

I quickly looked around the table. I recognized many of the lawyers from our previous meeting, but there were another three humans and five vampires I didn't recognize.

Felipe took his time making introductions, and I made sure to return all of the cordial head nods, sure my neck would be stiff later that evening. I rubbed at it absently as Felipe directed my attention to one of the humans in his retinue.

He spoke pretentiously and I instantly disliked him. He used his words to show off and it stuck out awkwardly, he would have done better to have his Harvard diploma dancing above his head framed in fluorescent light.

I believe he said something along the lines of "We are here to discuss a contract involving Miss Stackhouse, Mr. de Castro, and Mr. Northman and her place within the territories of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Nevada," except his explanation took seven sentences, not just one.

The rest was just a mishmash of words. I wasn't sure whose benefit it was for. Perhaps just to make it look like his presence was necessary because I sincerely doubted it was.

Felipe took over once again. "Eric has made some amendments to the contract on your behalf. He said you were aware of them, is this true?"

I took one look at Eric's face and then nodded in what I hoped was an affirmative manner.

Felipe continued, "Although I see he is still in favor of retaining you in his retinue and would prefer that you live with him. It is my belief you are against this?"

Eric shot me a warning look.

I chose my words carefully, "I'm not in a position to be moving as of yet, it may still be a future possibility."

"I am agreeable. The contract is negotiable; we can make sure it is able to be changed in the future."

I looked at him questioningly. Did that mean he would have the power to renegotiate? Or would I?

I wasn't really sure. He was a difficult vampire to read. He looked quite proud of himself; he was the picture of what he believed a modern vampire to be – sitting around a table _negotiating. _

_He still had a long way to go if he thought this was negotiation._

"Perhaps we could stipulate your future residence with Mr. Northman as a clause?" he suggested.

I took a look around the table once more and wished this could be handled simply. I didn't dare question him in front of all these people (and vampires), but I wanted to know what he meant. I looked to Eric and then nodded at Felipe once more.

"Please, Sookie, feel free to speak your mind," Felipe said, and I almost did, but I bit my tongue after looking to Eric for approval.

Even then, I was about two seconds away from speaking my mind all over that damn room.

"I will, Thank you."

He looked at me curiously before continuing, "I have no problem repaying the debt Sophie Ann left behind, it was simply a matter of time before I got to it, we have been making repayments chronologically. I wasn't aware of the debt specifically before this evening."

His accountant (presumably) passed me an envelope across the table.

"I see, Thank you."

I started to wonder what Eric had bartered for me because the check clearly wasn't a problem.

"Now, I heard from Mr. Ca that you have some questions about the blood exchange – may I inquire about you hesitation? As vampires sworn to protect you, we would not be of much use if we are unable to decipher your whereabouts.

"Eric can find me," I said simply.

"His talents have been proven unsatisfactory to me, and if he were incapacitated… we would need another measure of recourse."

I looked at Eric and started to mouth the word "Bill" when he spoke up.

"There is another vampire with Sookie's blood, another member of your retinue – Mr. Compton. He would be more than willing to assist if something were to happen to Sookie."

I knew it probably killed Eric to say that, but I was glad he did. I wondered if it would change anything. I looked back at Felipe.

"I should hope so," said the king, asserting his dominance.

And then Felipe paused for a moment… as though the information were new to him. _Did he not know Bill and I had shared blood?_

"And, what of your second, Pamela Ravenscroft and the other vampires of Area 5?"

"Pam took her blood once but it was tainted with poison; it was not of sufficient quality and Sookie does not possess Pam's blood within her. Pam would not be able to trace Sookie at a distance. No other vampires in Area 5 have had her blood or vice versa."

The mention of the maenad jump started an unfortunate conversation that included the many times in the past two or so years that I almost died. I cringed as I heard them repeated before me. _Was this really necessary?_

I felt the sudden urge to defend Eric, but he kept pushing me back in his seat with his eyes. Not literally, of course, but I felt his gaze drawn to me several times during his "conversation" and it said "stay put."

I felt like my life was increasingly being played in higher and higher staked games; I was tired of being the pawn.

I knew I couldn't be 100% certain of Felipe's intentions, but I felt like all we were doing in this meeting was going around and around in circles.

Yes, my life was dangerous; we already had that covered… more than covered in fact. I may not have liked it, but I've accepted it.

It didn't mean I was going to go shack up with Eric for protection or run off to Las Vegas to play house with the King because he had so gallantly offered his protection. Jobs or no jobs, that just wasn't an option – I don't care how well they paid.

However, in return for my freedom I was willing to do the occasional job here and there. Felipe's unmistakable regard for my safety made me feel slightly more secure about the kind of jobs I would be undertaking as a member of his retinue.

I truly believed that the best way for this meeting to go would be for me to sit with him alone and hash out the details. _Was that too bold?_ He _had_ driven me home the other week by himself, he didn't seem particularly interested in formalities, but here we were surrounded by paperwork and men (and vampires) in suits. _Was it necessary? Did he think this was what I wanted or expected?_

This was snowballing into a much bigger issue than it needed to be.

All eyes were on the two men as Eric continued to invalidate Felipe's arguments. I rolled my eyes as he recounted the night at Rhodes where I held the little soda can bomb in my hands.

"She wouldn't listen," would clearly not fly with Felipe, so Eric masterfully wove a web of a story that in the end wasn't even vaguely reminiscent of the scene.

Finally, I had had enough, my chair screeched loudly against the floor as I adjusted it and all eyes flew to me.

_Now or Never Stackhouse. _

I settled my back against the chair, wetting my lips with my tongue before speaking, "Felipe," I said, turning slightly to face him.

"Yes, Sookie?" he said, clearly enjoying the familiarity using our first names allowed him. I do believe if we were children on a playground that would be where he would stick his tongue out at Eric.

"Would it be possible to discuss these matters in private?"

His brow furrowed and he looked confused for a moment before pressing his fingertips against each other on the table. If I listened close enough, I had a feeling I could hear his inner monologue at work… I didn't try.

"You wish to reconvene with your party and reevaluate the paperwork?"

What I really wanted to do was stuff the paperwork in the trashcan and find a match, possibly a gallon of lighter fluid. My dreams were clearly influencing me…

What I said instead was, "I was hoping I could speak with _you_ in private if that is acceptable."

He couldn't stop himself from smiling, which was distracting – _what was this guy's deal anyway? _And for all of two seconds Eric couldn't help his grimace. I would take both faces and bury them in my mind for my victory dance later I thought. Maybe that was a bit pre-emptive, but it felt so good to have some control over the situation. I hoped it would last.

"Yes, Sookie, of course."

He waved his hand around the table and everyone (even Eric) was forced to leave, though he didn't look happy about it. I'm sure he expected me to beg him to stay or something.

When we were alone, Felipe took the seat next to me and turned in his seat so he was facing me. He turned my chair as well. High-handedness seemed to run rampant with vampires.

"Please," he said with an enchanting smile, "say what you will."

"Truthfully, the only thing holding me back from signing those papers is the blood exchange."

He looked at me funny, he was clearly still in the party that thought vampire blood was some great gift.

"It isn't that I'm not grateful, I said" toeing the line carefully, "It's just that I've exchanged blood a couple times now and it always seems to bring me trouble."

He said simply, "explain."

And I did.

**Felipe POV**

I watched Sookie intently as she explained her life as she knew it to be since she met Bill Compton. I knew many of these things of course, but coming from her, the perspective was decidedly different.

She certainly had a charming modern way of putting things, and I did have to ask her to clarify a few things as she spoke. But mostly I listened and considered how interesting life had been since I acquired Louisiana. I never knew it would present me with such a challenge.

_Such a beautiful challenge, _I thought, correcting myself. I had never met a telepath or psychic so beautiful, and I had met a few over the years.

And she truly didn't seem to have any clue; it was refreshing. I found myself memorizing her little quirks as she talked – the way she rushed through things she didn't want to say, how she tugged at her hair when she looked away, her concentrating face…

Many vampires lost these tells, so it was extremely intriguing to watch her. Like I said before, I spend the majority of my time in the company of other vampires. Humans were quite dispensable up until recently, and even the nicer ones rarely got much of my time.

"So, without the blood exchange, that option pleases you?" I asked her.

Her eyes brightened. I almost felt sorry I had to disappoint her. Even with her visiting Vegas more as a trade, there were people that knew of the documents now; I couldn't let it look like I was cowed into submission by a human. I went with the honest approach.

"Do you know how it would look, for me, if I removed that section from the document at this point in time, or worse, if I lied? I ask that you not speak of this to even your sheriff, but you must understand Sookie, it is not commonplace for us to allow human assets to barter for their welfare. Their rights are typically left for me to decide, if they are lucky. Most have to deal with Victor, and I assure you, he is far more callous than I. However, I have taken a personal interest in you, and I feel you could be a good asset; I would prefer you willing. But I cannot compromise on the blood. I will not force you to exchange with anyone else in my entourage, and I will not require another exchange if you choose to live with Mr. Northman at any point in time. In that event, our business connection would cease to exist, the blood between us would be minimal; it would not interfere with your life."

She watched me for a few moments, clearly lost in thought. If I breathed, I would have been holding it in. If I was honest with myself, I couldn't understand why she didn't choose to live with the Northman, I heard he had a lineup of women interested in him and that he was fair and just in all of his dealings.

It surprised me, but I wasn't there to talk up Eric, I had my own agenda. Not that I was even sure of it exactly… I just wanted more time to get to know her, some work now and then, and to be able to make good on my promise to protect the human that saved my life, however unintentional it may have been on her part.

She nodded reluctantly, but I didn't feel the surge of validation I hoped for. The one I usually got when business dealings turned out favorably for me. It was all very disappointing indeed.

I told her that the blood would be emptied into glasses, and that it would be a very formal ceremony – an honor not many humans ever witnessed. She shrugged her shoulders like it was just another day; another sacrifice on her part to stay alive and I empathized with her? '_Seriously?'_ I did. But I had no choice; I couldn't go back on my word, no matter how poorly I suddenly felt about it.

I was looking absently past her when I heard her speak up in a softer tone, "Felipe?"

"Yes, Sookie?" I questioned; she had my attention once more.

"Do you mind if I don't sign this right now. I'm agreeing to it, but I just need a few days to get used to the idea."

"Of course. I'll prepare another version with all of Eric's additions and bring it over to you later in the week at your home if that is suitable."

"Yes that would be just fine, thank you."

I stood up and helped her out of her seat. She smiled warmly, and excused herself from the room. After she left, I sat back down at the table wondering where I had gone wrong.

**Sookie POV**

I exited the room to find Rasul standing in the doorway across the hall watching me with interest.

"So you know what happened then?" I asked him, surmising that if he had been standing there the entire time he must have heard the conversation we had.

"Soundproof," he said simply, offering his arm.

I took it and offered him a weak smile, "Where to now?"

I had been hoping the night was over, but it clearly wasn't.

"To see Mr. Ca, lovely lady. Why would you prefer to go somewhere else?" He grinned.

I couldn't help but snicker at his comment. I used my free hand to jab him in the ribs. I knew it wouldn't hurt a vampire at all, but he played along, feigning injury at the humorous gesture and then smiled.

All too soon we were at another office door. I raised my hand hesitantly to knock. As if sensing my hesitation, Rasul went ahead and knocked for me.

"I will be stationed just outside this door," he said pointing to the door and then down at his weapon to show that I was covered.

There was a glint in his eyes and I had a feeling he would like it if something happened; it would give him a chance to fight. What was it with vampires? Was regular life not enough for them? Why become immortal just to constantly put your life on the line?

I wondered if this was the mentality of people who jumped from airplanes or took the risk of eating poisonous fish.

I was not one of those people, at least I thought I wasn't.

An hour later, I came out of the office feeling… well not exactly over the moon about everything, but certainly more at ease. Mr. Ca went through all of the changes Eric made to the contract and I was happy with them, though I couldn't help but think that some of them were completely unnecessary. Eric _had_ to be my formal escort at each large vampire gathering, whether I was employed by Felipe for the event or not. If forced to step back and consider that, it was probably better than the alternative. I suddenly felt sick thinking about Eric at an event with another woman. _Had he been in the past? Did I even want to know? Why did my mind torment me so much?_

But, I was thankful for the health insurance he got me; it would most certainly come in handy. I didn't know vampires had plans like that – but I guess as a business owner, he had to have humans in his employ.

Eric had also negotiated for higher pay (no surprise). I couldn't even imagine what I would do with all that money if I had it, and those were just the scheduled jobs I was tallying – that did not include any extra services Felipe was willing to pay for if I would travel.

I thought about putting some aside for Hunter for a college fund, but it was all so much to take in – a part of it just didn't feel real yet. And then there was the check I already had in my hot little hands to consider. I hadn't opened it yet, but I was looking forward to cashing it. That check was tangible and I didn't owe anyone anything for it, it was all mine.

Rasul looked down at me as he led me upstairs to the room my things were in; I realized I was busy thinking and not talking.

I looked up at him to smile and he just nodded his head.

When we reached the door, he said, "You can gather your things, I'll let Eric know you are ready and waiting."

"Thanks" I said.

I changed into something more appropriate for the flight home and set my luggage near the door. I thumbed through one of the travel books Eric left for me.

Within ten minutes of sitting down, Eric was in the room; he walked in without knocking or anything. So much for keeping his sense of entitlement at bay.

"Ready?" he asked for what felt like the millionth time that day.

_Yes Eric, I'm ready. _

"Yup," I answered.

He picked up my bags, slinging the garment bag over the suitcase and picking them both up in one hand.

"Where are your things? I asked

"I had them sent directly to the airport."

I nodded and followed him down the stairs and out of the house to a waiting town car.

Waiting inside was Rasul and I felt awkward sliding into the back seat with Eric. Was someone not going to sit in the front with him? I wondered.

But Eric had opened the door for me to get in – not a usual Eric thing to do, so I got in and didn't say anything funny about it.

Conversation was awkward at best on the way to the airport, and Eric took my hand before I got chance to say goodbye to Rasul properly.

He waved sympathetically toward me and I shrugged; I didn't think we were late for our flight or anything.

Our trip home was near the opposite of our trip there. There was no jovial laughter or entertaining of children as we walked through the concourse. Eric was a man on a mission and apparently his mission was to get us to our gate an hour before our plane boarded so we could sit there and stare at each other.

It wasn't like we were alone; I didn't know how much I could talk with him about. He surely wasn't putting anything forward.

I broke the silence before my stubbornness reached the point where I wouldn't say anything.

"So, it was nice to see Rasul, I didn't expect him to be there."

He snorted.

"What?"

"Nothing lover."

He didn't offer anything more, and I didn't really know what else to talk about.

Eric went into downtime (convenient) and I reached in my hand bag for a book to read. I picked out the copy of "Traveling through Europe with a Vampire" and started to skim through it.

Eric came to on his own a few minutes before boarding. I didn't even realize it, but one moment he 'wasn't all there' and the next he was watching me attentively as I flipped pages of the travel guide.

"Would you like one?" I asked, offering him one of the books from my bag. They _were_ his after all; he purchased them.

He shook his head slightly as the man at the desk announced the commencement of boarding.

Sitting in the seat with only Eric next to me, I started to prod him again, asking a few questions about the locations in the book.

He spoke softly, but answered the questions I asked.

.

.

.

A/N As always, I'd love your thoughts. I tried to flesh out my transitions a bit better instead of just lots of these: . . . to indicate time passed. It results in a longer (but I hope better) chapter. :)

So, then… what were the bits with *** stars? Well, those are the places where I've continued the story in little fantasy sequences – Tangents for the frustrated, lol! Though they have no reality in the actual story –

There is one for Finn and one for Eric. I'll send them to you in my usual review reply, just let me know if you want (Finn) (Eric) or (both) in your review.

Finn sends kisses to Samantha because she is so sweet and encouraging as I write for him and offers them to anyone who asks for his fantasy sequence without asking for Eric's. (I say ask for both, who cares what he thinks! Right? Okay… hmm… I'm second guessing that statement now… if you don't hear back from me in a few days with an update, maybe call Niall for me? Thanks!)


	29. A Game of Hide and Seek

A/N I like writing really cute scenes if you couldn't tell. If I thought I could get away with it with Eric, I would. But I love Eric for entirely different reasons, so you'll just have to trust me in the long run. And if you develop a crush on Finn, well good :) that was his plan.

Thank you for all of your reviews and messages! This is a shorter chapter, but I hope to get them out more frequently again. :D

* * *

**Sookie POV**

When Eric dropped me off at home he removed a set of iron knives from his trunk and handed them to me.

"Hide these around the house where they can be easily reached."

"Eric, I appreciate the thought… but Octavia recently checked the wards on the house; no one unexpected can get in. I had to call her from the library last time Niall came over; even he couldn't get in."

Eric's face was conveying his impatience so I took the bundle from him reluctantly, internally drawing a line there. I would take the knives, but that was it. But of course, Eric wasn't finished. He also tried to get me to take a large sword. I had to tell him I wouldn't know what to do with it if I tried.

"Put it in your bedroom lover, I know how to use it."

I rolled my eyes, but took the sword. I had a feeling if I didn't go put it in place, he would.

"You truly do not remember the fairy?"

"No, Eric, I don't. What would I have to gain by pretending?"

"I am not certain. However, I am curious to know why you did not inform me about the threat prior to the night of our attack."

_Because I knew this is how you would react? _I thought.

After a few more minutes of terse exchange, Eric left. The house was quiet and I was thankful my housemates were asleep, though I felt a twinge of sadness that they wouldn't be around much longer.

I decided to save my call to Niall and Claudine for the next day. I thought if they hadn't already detected that something was wrong and called me, the news could wait. I wasn't sure exactly when a fairy prince slept, but Claudine seemed to keep normal human hours so I went with my instincts.

I left my luggage in the living room. They could hardly be considered an eyesore with all of Amelia and Octavia's boxes cluttering up the room. When I retreated to my bedroom, I pulled the envelope Felipe's accountant had given me out of my purse. I ran my finger along the silky smooth paper ironing out any crinkles, practically dancing with giddy delight at the prospect of putting money into my depleted savings account. Opening the envelope, I found the check inside. I pulled it out slowly, savoring the moment.

A small handwritten note fell to the floor as I finished easing the check out of the envelope. Bending over to grab it, I saw it was signed 'Felipe de Castro.' _huh… interesting._ Unfolding the little note carefully, I read it out loud, "Sookie, I truly apologize for the delay. Interest has been added to the check as reparation."

I was curious about what that meant for about five seconds before I looked at the check. _Interest indeed!_ It was a sizeable amount Felipe added to the check and I wondered if he was trying to influence my decision...I couldn't force myself to care in that moment. The only thing holding me back from a full on victory dance was my exhaustion.

The whole trip had been draining… and I guess in more ways than one since I had given Eric some of my blood.

A shiver shot up my spine as I thought about what could have happened. We could have continued… I had even fantasized about continuing… but Eric was insistent that we leave, and then he brought me to one of his secluded safe houses and… just dumped me there on that bed in the dark… alone.

_What in the world was he thinking?_

As my sexual desire continued to spike, I started removing my clothing. It was cold in the house, but my body was suddenly filled with heat and I didn't feel like putting on any pajamas. It felt incredibly liberating slipping into bed naked all by myself, though I locked the door just in case.

I was nearly asleep when I was jolted by a cautionary thought. _The iron knives… Good grief!_ Fairly certain that Eric would be checking my home later to make sure I'd hidden the weapons throughout my house, I begrudgingly got out of bed. _Thank god no children come over frequently,_ I thought in an attempt to find the bright side. Unfortunately all I ended up with was a slight frown.

Pulling two knives out of the little velvet bundle, I thought to myself, _this will have to do for now_, _I'm not getting dressed just to hide these knives everywhere, I can do it tomorrow._ I slipped one behind the mattress and placed the other on the bedside table as Eric had done at the hotel. I checked to make sure they were easily reached… _Yup. _Then thought about having to use them… and decided (reluctantly) to put something on. Jumping back out of bed with a grunt, I put on a comfy old t-shirt. It would have to do; I wasn't going to be getting out of bed again that night… I hoped.

I fell asleep within minutes.

As I opened my eyes (still a weird sensation for entering a dream by the way) I found myself lying in a hallway. Yep, Finn's hallway. I was thinking I would never come back to this place, not after how heated things had gotten with Eric the other night. If I hadn't visited Finn in that bout of sexual frustration – why now?

As I contemplated my situation (two gorgeous men, one real but dead, the other fake but breathing) I realized neither of my situations was particularly satisfying. _Why was I holding back from Eric? I certainly wanted to be with him… but if he hadn't stopped things the other night, would I have?_ I really wasn't sure. _And then there was Finn… why did I have these dreams if we weren't having sex? _That is where it always differed from my romance novels. He was charming, intelligent, and utterly sexy yet nothing ever happened, I always fell asleep. It just didn't seem fair.

_Maybe I could make this dream different_, I thought as a wicked grin spread across my face. I was walking down the hallway when a little girl ran out from one of the rooms. She couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 and she was running so fast she barely noticed me as she sped past… though she did stop. She turned back around to face me and smiled. Her little tongue poked through the gap in her smile; she was missing her front two teeth. She had brown hair in soft curls down to her shoulders and bright green eyes… just like Finn's.

_Oh no, _I thought. _I've planted myself into a dream as an adulteress. Way to go Sookie, way to go._

Just as I opened my mouth to say something to the smiling little girl, another child ran out of the same room, but stopped dead as soon as she saw me. She smiled as well… it was starting to feel eerie. They were clearly identical twins. She took a few steps toward her sister and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

I strained to listen but couldn't pick up anything – spoken or unspoken. I would have believed it was that my telepathy didn't work during my dreams… but I'd heard Finn before. Not clearly, because he was a were… but I had heard things or felt things from him before.

"Umm, excuse me?" I said, attempting to make conversation with the girls.

They giggled and one of them pointed at my legs; my t-shirt didn't leave much left for the imagination. I didn't see why I couldn't have better outfits in these dreams. It hardly seemed fair.

The first girl opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted by another set of girls bolting out of the same room running past. They also stopped to eye me up and down. I was starting to feel really awkward now as they all giggled and whispered to each other quietly. I put on my best smile in hopes one of them would say something…

"I can hear you all giggling out in the hallway, I don't see why we needed the timed head starts if you were all going to wait for each other," came a voice from the room the girls had departed from just moments ago. It was a familiar voice – Finn. I had no idea of what I could do. _Should I leave? Stay and get introduced to his daughters? Was his wife around here somewhere? _It was all too weird and too much to take in. Was I not allowed one good fantasy? Did everything always have to be ruined for me?

He walked out into the hallway. He looked stunning. I wanted so badly to fix him with a stern glare but my heart melted when I saw him and I wanted to run to him and snuggle my face against his chest. _Goodness, I can smell him from here… vanilla… _

"Mmm…" I let out a soft moan as his scent filled the hallway and the girls giggled louder. I pulled at the hem of my shirt awkwardly. So far, this wasn't going how I envisioned it would.

"Sookie… I…" he started to say.

I took the opportunity to finish the sentence for him, "wasn't expecting me, I know."

"No, I admit I wasn't, but that wasn't what I was going to say."

"Well?"

"I'm pleased to see you. I know you'll like the game we are playing – hide and seek. You have played it before, no?"

"Well, yes, I have but, Finn… I can't…"

He cut me off with a chuckle, "Yes, I can see you will need something more appropriate to wear for running. Come with me, I'll take care of you." He then turned his attention back to the four girls and said, "You may take this extra time to hide if you wish or you may wait here to be introduced to Miss Stackhouse shortly. I'll leave the choice to you."

They giggled in chorus once more and began sitting down on the floor. I guessed that meant they were going to wait? I was more than a little nervous at the prospect. They seemed to know who I was; I saw recognition cross their sweet little faces as he said my name.

Finn took my hand and we walked toward the staircase at the end of the hallway together.

Once upstairs, he led me through his bedroom to a door at the back of the bathroom. In a grand gesture, Finn opened the door and smiled; I gasped.

"You may wear anything you like princess," he said charmingly.

It was like a closet I guess… but bigger than the entire first floor of my house really, though it did hold clothes. Many, many clothes.

"Finn, I can't…" I said forlornly.

"Sookie, you know I don't mind if you run around in just that," he said motioning to my current fashion statement, "I just thought you might be more comfortable in a full outfit, but please, don't let me force you."

He flashed the most brilliant smile, and I had to steady myself against the doorframe to counteract the weak feeling in my knees. Then I steeled myself… _No, this is wrong. Even in a dream Stackhouse, this is just immoral. _

Noticing my faltered smile, Finn reached his hand out to stroke my cheek. "What's wrong princess? I assure you there is something in there you will like."

I pushed his hand away sadly. "I don't doubt that, but I'm not comfortable wearing your wife's clothing. I'm not that type of woman."

He laughed; he outright, unmistakably laughed. I grimaced; I didn't know what was so funny about the situation. I paused, wondering if I should be analyzing the situation. Was it another tell? Some deep secret about the inner workings of my mind?

Looking down at my face, he put a hand to his chest to settle himself. "Sookie, my dear, I apologize for laughing but I have never been married. As much as it would please my parents, I have not met anyone I've considered worth catching and keeping."

His playful eyes met with mine and I swallowed hard. My assumptions had landed me in the deep end once again and I wasn't quite sure how to pull myself out. Luckily, he kept talking.

"Aside from my mother and my sisters whom you just met several of in the hall, no other women have been here. These clothes are for you. I find myself very interested in keeping you. That is, if you are willing to be caught."

"I'll just get changed now, if that's okay," I squeaked out.

"Of course. I'll rejoin my sisters, I'd like to have a word with them before I introduce you; they can be a handful."

"Sure. Thanks."

Before leaving, he reached across me and flipped a few light switches. He snuck a quick kiss on my lips as he straightened back up.

"Take your time," he said with a genuine smile on his face. And with that he left.

There wasn't enough time in the world to go through all those clothes! I took a tentative step into the room and made my way toward the closest set of drawers. Drawers for some reason to me held less dressy clothes, so I thought it would be my best bet. And I was right. I pulled a pair of jeans out of the bottom drawer and a light blue top from another drawer. I searched the other drawers in the room until I found the ones with the underwear and walked back into the bathroom to change.

I rummaged through the little box of hair doodads, which was in the cabinet of the bathroom in the same place I keep mine at home, and tied my hair back in a low bun. I would have gone with the traditional ponytail, but considering the potential for my hair being whipped in my face as we ran, I reconsidered.

Walking back down the stairs to the hallway where we left his sisters, I found Finn sitting on the floor talking animatedly. It was such a tender moment and I stood awestruck in place as I watched him. I probably could have watched him for the rest of the day, but a pair of small eyes caught me out.

We both smiled, and I started walking again. I didn't want her to think I had paused because I wasn't keen to meet them; I was.

I went to take a seat next to Finn, but as I began to sit down, he pulled me into his lap. There wasn't much you could do when Finn got his hands on you, so I just went along with it glad that I now had pants on because the scene would have been significantly more embarrassing otherwise. I turned to smile up at him and he kissed my nose affectionately.

He cleared his throat and began to speak, "Now, for proper introductions. Ladies…"

One after another the girls introduced themselves: the elder set of twins were Cayley and Ciara, and the younger set, Kelly and Jill. Their parents had become less traditional with time the girls said. Cayley and Ciara had gotten traditional Irish names where Kelly and Jill got popular American names. Though they weren't too popular anymore I didn't think…

"Irish?" I questioned.

"Yes," said Ciara proudly, though I wasn't really sure if it was Ciara or Cayley…

I half turned in Finn's lap and looked into his eyes for some secret answer about how to tell them apart.

"Why do you think I asked them to introduce themselves?" he said with a laugh.

I looked at him incredulously. Surely his own sisters, he would know?

"I'm teasing Sookie, but we do have a plan for this. Girls – ribbons please."

And each girl in turn pulled a colored ribbon out of her pocket. The eldest two immediately tied the ribbon through their hair like experts. The littlest two struggled a little bit and Finn shifted me so we could each assist. When they were tied as well, Finn and his sisters recited a little poem that related the colors to the names. It was all very adorable.

"Still need the head start Jill?" Finn inquired.

"Nope, but can I take her?" she said, looking up at me expectantly.

"That's up to Sookie."

"Please Miss Stackhouse?" she said, slurring her s's a little bit due to the cute little gap in her smile.

"Please call me Sookie, and of course. I bet we can find a really great hiding spot Finn will never find."

"Aww, Finn knows all the spots," Kelly said with a bit of a pout; Cayley and Ciara nodded in agreement.

"Yes I do," Finn said in a playful voice as he helped me up, "Perhaps Cayley and Ciara would like to do the finding this time?"

"Oh, yes! You can show me your best spot Finn," Kelly said with a big smile.

"Of course little one," Finn said with a wink.

"No peeking until you're seeking!" Jill said to her elder sisters as she tugged my hand.

Cayley and Ciara looked a bit insulted but nodded in agreement, closing their eyes tight as we set off in search of a good place to hide. Finn gave me a wink before picking up his little sister and running off down the stairs.

"I do believe that is cheating!" I called out after him.

"Tell the judge," he called back as he laughed.

In that massive place, there must have been millions of places to hide. I guessed the trick was finding one quickly and staying quiet. There was a 50/50 shot the twins would head upstairs or downstairs first…

Putting my strategy hat on, I whispered quietly, "downstairs, come on, let's hurry."

She kept up with me easily as we ran down the stairs and peeked in each of the rooms for a good spot to hide. I had played hide and seek with Jason when I was little, but most of the time he had forgotten to come looking for me so it was really new to me to have to find someplace really good to hide in. All my first ideas were behind desks or under beds and I found myself really wanting to impress this little one.

Then it came to me – the movie room. We could hide behind the long red curtains on the sides of the screen. They were long enough that our feet would be covered, and in the dark we'd be hidden pretty well.

I whispered my suggestion to her and her whole face lit up. I was glad I picked a place she had not hidden before. We snuck into the movie room and I moved the curtain aside letting her in first. Jill giggled and I had to join in even though I thought it might get us found first. Her laughter was infectious and I just couldn't help it.

"The time is up," she said as she suddenly stopped laughing. Jill held her breath and I admired how seriously she took the game. I tried my best to take shallow slow breaths to avoid detection.

I heard Cayley and Ciara race past the room and I gave Jill's hand a little squeeze. It seemed like we were safe. Then I heard backtracking and I thought, _Oh no, this can't be good._ I listened carefully as the girls walked into the room. I was saying a little silent prayer that they wouldn't find us. I wanted so badly to impress this little girl for some reason.

Then I heard something that sounded like it came from the other side of the room, a little shoe scuffle; Cayley and Ciara darted toward it.

"Aww! Drats!" said a little voice and I looked down at Jill to double-check that it wasn't her. Nope, it definitely wasn't coming from her. Finn and Kelly must have hidden in the same room. _How funny! With all the rooms in this house…_

Struggling to hold my laughter in at the irony, I found I just couldn't anymore when I heard Finn's lively chuckle echoing from the other side of the room. Luckily Jill couldn't either and we laughed ourselves right out of the curtain, tumbling out onto the theatre room floor.

Finn rushed over and gave us both a hand. I looked at him through eyes slightly glazed with happy tears as the laughter shook through my body.

"You're beautiful," I thought I heard him whisper… and I smiled.

We spent the next several hours forming different pairings as we took turns hiding and seeking.

I was hiding with Kelly under one of the beds in a guestroom (by that time, I had run out of ideas) when my stomach growled loudly.

"Was that your tummy?" Kelly asked.

"I hope it doesn't give us away," I said softly, flashing her an innocent smile.

And as quickly as she could, she slid out from under the bed and yelled at the top of her lungs, "TIME OUT! Sookie is hungry. I called time out! Did you hear me???"

I had no choice at that point but to follow suit, I wiggled myself out from under the bed and took a seat on it waiting to see what would happen next. Finn and Cayley ran in first, followed by Ciara and Jill just moments later. The girls all had big smiles on their faces; Finn looked a little concerned. I wondered what the big deal was. Would I get some kind of penalty point for making noise?

Kelly turned to Jill with a glint of mischief in her eye (must be a family trait). "You know what this means?"

Jill smirked. "I do."

They both turned toward Finn expectantly and he shot me an apprehensive smile as he shrugged his shoulders.

"The lady needs popcorn – to the microwave Finn!" Kelly belted out happily as she grabbed Jill's hand and began to march out of the room.

"Have you at least asked Sookie if she wanted popcorn?" Finn asked, looking at me questioningly.

The girls halted for a second before replying in singsong chorus, "Trust us, we know!"

"Popcorn would be nice," I said cheerfully and we all walked downstairs to the kitchen.

All the girls watched with interest as Finn removed the package from its plastic wrapper, although the older two feigned slight disinterest.

Finn moved toward the microwave with more confidence than I thought was required to make a bag of popcorn, and I laughed. He stopped for a second to take in my reaction, then winked and continued. As he pressed the buttons masterfully, Kelly spoke up.

"There's really corn in that flimsy paper bag?"

Remembering the huge blackened pot Gran used to make popcorn in, I wondered if they had only made popcorn the old fashioned way.

"Yes," Finn said with a smile to which all the girls said, "wow."

We took the popcorn into the theatre room and Finn set us up with a movie. Somehow we all managed to fit on one of the couches together and of course Finn brought out all the blankets. It was a really sweet time and I couldn't decide if I was happy or sad when Finn told the girls to head up to their bedrooms. Happy – because I was glad for some alone time with Finn, but sad – because I really enjoyed their company.

We ended up taking the two youngest to their room because I couldn't resist their adorable little faces when they asked for a bedtime story. Finn just smiled and went along with it, taking my hand as we walked upstairs.

When we entered the room, the girls grabbed things from drawers, giggling wildly as they ran off into the adjacent bathroom. Finn let go of my hand to pull the trundle out from under the canopy bed. He sat down and pulled me into his lap, nuzzling his face into my hair.

"No storybook?" I questioned as I wiggled against him, trying to get a better view so I would know when the girls were coming back into the room.

"There are some in the library, but Kelly and Jill like to change things as I read; I thought I might save us a trip." He ran his hands playfully up my back, skimming my sides playfully on the way down. His hands brushed past my breasts and I leaned into his touch briefly before being shocked out my stupor by a noise from the adjacent bathroom.

"Do they stay with you often?" I squeaked out, attempting to cool things down.

"No, not often. My parents are tending to family business."

I frowned and he added, "They seem quite taken with you."

"I like them too Finn. Are they your only sisters? They are much younger than you…"

"No, Sookie," he said as he began stroking my hand gently, "My family is quite large; I have many more siblings. In time, I am sure you will meet them, if it would please you that is."

* * *

Finn takes over the POV next chapter. :) and just as a little teaser… the scent of Finn's sisters on Sookie might send a vampire for a bit of a loop. Finn can mask his scent, but they can't. hehe… so how much does Eric trust Sookie? Does he send Pam over the next night to check to make sure the knives (and sword ;) ) are in good spots or does he believe the only way to do a job right is to do it yourself?

Julie and her details… lol, they've gotten to me. so if you want to see the bed in Kelly and Jill's room it's here:

www[dot]potterybarnkids[dot]com/room/rom/romgir/romgirrmf/index[dot]cfm replace the [dot] with a .

Sookie's closet is a bit like Mariah Carey's with an additional wall of drawer units in the entryway. See why Sook was overwhelmed? lol

img449[dot]imageshack[dot]us/img449/1887/105ya[dot]jpg


	30. Torn Between a Prince and a Viking

**A/N** First and foremost – a major thank you to Samantha for editing this chapter and always believing in me. Things wouldn't be the same without her, trust me! Any remaining errors are mine, so please aim all weaponry in my direction.

And second, an apology to anyone still reading this story - I'm going back to shorter chapters and writing in the morning. I've been sitting on this for way too long - it was getting ridiculous. But the good news is the next chapter is almost finished since it was originally part of this one! and Creatures is also mid half a huge chapter too, so I'll split that and have it posted soon.

Please remember to review and let me know what you think! :)

Where the story left off: Eric left Sookie with some weapons to place around her home and Sookie fell asleep and transported herself to Finn's. And she had only placed two of the iron knives Eric gave her. Woo boy, our favorite vampire is not going to be thrilled. So, let's start with the Viking, shall we?

* * *

**(Eric POV)**

After leaving Sookie at her residence, I sped back to Fangtasia. I wasn't particularly interested in entertaining the clientele that evening, but with Felipe in New Orleans I had to admit, I was looking forward to resuming my role as host.

The bothersome Spaniard had been surprisingly good for business, though no amount of revenue could sway me to invite him back to my establishment. I could only hope that with his contracts out of the way, he would leave Sookie and I alone.

He was clever, I would give him that. He managed to plant the seed of independence in Sookie's mind once again. There was no denying I would have preferred she acknowledge our connection and move in with me when presented with the opportunity, but I knew she would choose otherwise. What the woman had against having love made to her every day, I could never know. She had certainly enjoyed such pleasures when my memory was removed.

I had even played up to this in an attempt to enchant her and it hadn't worked… What had been different about then that she gave in to her true desires?

About half way through the journey, I began to wonder if Sookie had placed the knives in her home as I had requested of her. An ordinary person would consider that she had witnessed enough supernatural traumas to warrant doing exactly as I told her. But then, I would have to argue that the person did not know Sookie.

Too often she put her life in danger not considering the consequences. I had a feeling caring for her would be the death of me, yet I could not continue without her. A part of me knew that, we were too closely tied… and with the king's issue settled, I pictured more blood exchanges in our future.

As my mind wandered off with thoughts of the future, I decided the only way to be sure Sookie was protected was to see to it myself.

I had nearly asked her to return to my home for the evening, but I knew it would just elicit an outburst from her. So I would do the next best thing – bring myself to her. Fangtasia, my other love, would have to wait.

I drew my cell phone out of my jacket pocket and dialed Pam to let her know I wouldn't be heading back as soon as I planned.

She laughed and said she was surprised I had thought otherwise.

"If you are so astute Pamela, why did you bother asking?"

"One minute you want to hear it, the next you don't. Eric you need to make up your mind."

I shut the phone; I did not need to hear this from yet another source.

In an attempt to avoid Sookie's housemates, I flew straight to her window and jimmied it open. It was far too easy and I made a mental note to ask her to consider replacing them.

As far as I knew, the wards were specific to only supernatural creatures and Sookie seemed to have enemies on both sides of the spectrum. The dull (read: humans) were just as capable, if not more so, of cruelty and hatred as the spectacular and I refused to let her potentially suffer such a fate when it was in my power to provide for her.

After easing myself through the rather small window, I crept towards the bed. Remembering I was the stuff most nightmares were made of, I chuckled – reveling in my forthcoming surprise attack.

It was dark, she was human, and she should be in bed. The logistics were sound. And her bedding was pushed aside as if she had recently lain within it. One quick glance toward the open bathroom door informed me that she was not there, but I entered the room to be sure. She was not there and nor was her scent.

I walked toward the kitchen, expecting to see Sookie sitting at the table or standing in front of the refrigerator, but she was in neither spot.

Quickening my step, I explored the other rooms on the lower floor, even peeking into the elderly witch's bedroom, though cautiously. I knew better than to spook a witch. Witches were cunning creatures and although it would appear simple for a vampire to silence one if necessary – they often came with security spells. Though the last had worked favorably for me, I wasn't in the habit of hunting down trouble.

I went back to her bedroom and checked it thoroughly, looking for signs of disruption. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, and she had most certainly been there. The sword was by the bed and there were 2 of the iron knives I had given her set out – one under the pillow and one behind the mattress.

I growled, waking Octavia who walked in, appearing stunned. She cast a spell so that I was unable to move.

"Where is Sookie?" I asked, growing increasingly concerned about her whereabouts.

"I do not know what you are talking about young man, but you certainly do not belong in her bedroom at this hour!"

"You have no business telling a vampire what not to do," I said, baring my fangs.

She laughed, and for fun (I presume), had me walk out of the room and sit on the floor. Unwillingly of course.

"You will regret that," I said with my jaw clenched.

"If only I had a silencing spell on hand," she muttered as she walked back to her bedroom. I wasn't sure if she was leaving me there to return to sleep or going to fetch some form of spell book.

When I thought it couldn't get any worse, Amelia came stumbling down the stairs.

She walked in sleepy and took in the scene, calling out to Octavia when I explained the situation.

"This hooligan was fussing about in Sookie's bedroom. He doesn't belong there," Octavia stated indignantly.

Several descriptive words came to mine I could use as a response, but I allowed Amelia to speak first.

"Octavia, Eric is Sookie's… uhm…" She paused, searching for the right word, and then just dropped it. "Look, its okay. Can you unfreeze him or unglue him or whatever you've done – reverse it please? We need to find Sookie. If you won't; I will."

I shot Octavia a harsh look in an attempt to convey my plans for retribution if left in this state much longer.

With a swirl of her hand and a short incantation, I was free. I stood up swiftly. If anything, I think she may have consented to release me because she would be held responsible for anything Amelia did to me. I had heard of her magic; I was not interested in being her guinea pig… or any other furry animal that might pop into her spell.

"Neither of you has seen Sookie this night?"

Octavia nodded in agreement and Amelia said the same thing as before – she was asleep and didn't hear Sookie come home.

I excused myself as Amelia was starting to grow hysterical. I wasn't there to comfort her; I left the job to Octavia. Stepping outside, I placed a call to Niall.

"I think she has been taken to your realm," I said.

"Impossible. I would know if she were able to be taken in such a way," Niall informed me.

"Have you tried?" I asked impatiently.

"I admit I have not tried. We will consider it a possibility. There are no signs of forced entry?"

"None whatsoever."

"Can you smell magic? Is the Fae scent present?"

"Beyond Sookie's natural scent, no." I conceded. "But are there not fairies that can mask their scent as you do?"

"Very powerful fairies, yes."

"What is going on Niall?"

"I have no time to discuss this. Do what you can to search for her. I will do the same here. I will send a messenger if I find anything. Please do the same."

Before I could get out a word in agreement, the line was disconnected.

I immediately placed two other phone calls - Bill to assess the situation, and Pam to let her know that I would not be returning to Shreveport that evening, but staying in Bon Temps.

**(Finn POV)**

Sookie looked at me questioningly before committing to a firm, "Yes."

I liked it – it was a strong, well-thought-out answer; she knew when, and when not, to take things seriously. I smiled and ran my hands up her sun kissed forearms to cup her elbows in my palms. My thumbs sought out the soft, delicate skin in the bend of her arms and drew lazy circles against the warm flesh.

She followed the 'yes' with, "I would love that," and threw in a smile at the end. The vivacious creature, still seated in my lap, laughed a little as if she thought she were silly for saying so and I had to remind myself she still believed I was a figment of her imagination.

_The man of her dreams… why I do believe humans have an odd fascination with such things, perhaps it would work out in my favor_ I thought, though I desperately longed to tell her something that very rarely escaped my lips – the truth.

My youngest sisters wandered back in the room and Sookie jolted upright, setting her arms down by her side. They used the softest footsteps, but their giggling gave them away. I would have to have a word with them later about their girlish demeanor. I think they were taking their human portrayals a bit too far and could use a lesson in subtlety.

Sookie slid off of my lap and curled her legs into a seated position, leaving my lap just in time for it to be accompanied by another – Jill jumped up in my lap and Kelly nestled herself in Sookie's. She had two ponytail wraps in her hand and asked Sookie if she would braid her hair.

Sookie began braiding and I began telling a story. We moved twice – once to swap girls, it was not enough they were twins, they both had to have braids as well. The ribbons might be put into effect again the next day whether Sookie remained or not. And then again when the girls started falling asleep. I lifted Kelly first, placing her in the top bed and then picked Jill up from Sookie's lap. Sookie moved the blankets aside and I set Jill under them.

She gave both girls a kiss on the forehead, and then took my hand as we left the room. It was all very domestic and left me with stirrings of a life I never thought I wanted.

"Where are we going?" I asked her teasingly.

"To sleep?"

_Yes, that's one possibility_, I thought as she led me to the stairs.

I watched one golden leg after another lift as she climbed the staircase in front of me. Her hips swayed seductively, and in my mind her clothes were falling away, until her entire sun kissed body on display. And my, it was stunning.

Swallowing hard, I resisted the urge to grab her irresistible body, press her against the cool railing, kneel before her, and lick her from her bronze toes to her rosy, heated center.

_I will ravish her tonight. I will worship her like the goddess she is until we are both so spent; we will sleep until it is nightfall once more._

The thought appealed to me so greatly that I did not even realize it when Sookie had stopped in front of me. I bumped into her and she leaned back into me, rubbing herself hard against my length. And just when I thought I had died and gone to Summerland, she stopped.

"I thought I heard something… a noise over there," she said abruptly, rubbing a hand over a flushed cheek, using the other to point to the left of the stairwell.

I pulled her hand gently away from her face. She had no need for embarrassment in my presence and I wouldn't have her covering up such a lovely reaction.

"I love to see you on fire for me Sookie. You don't know the things you do to me."

Her blush deepened in color and her soft lips parted. I had never been more eager to receive a response than in that moment. Unfortunately it was also the moment the noise… or I should say noise_s, _made themselves known.

"Jill… Kelly… I…" Sookie stumbled over her words and I could tell her mind was reeling. She rubbed her hands furiously over her face. "It's… a bit warm… I think."

_Smooth under pressure. _It was utterly delectable.

To avoid any further embarrassment, I intervened.

"I thought you had fallen asleep." I shared a knowing look with my youngest sisters.

"We mighta," Jill replied.

Chiming in, Kelly added the obvious, "I don't think we are anymore!"

The grins that accompanied both statements were over the top and one look at Sookie told me she was about to give in to whatever request they made of her.

***

Somehow, I had envisioned my night a little differently. We had ended up in my bed alright… but not alone.

Not even 10 minutes after Kelly and Jill interrupted Sookie and I on our path toward bliss, we were all situated in bed, the two girls snuggled up to Sookie – one on each side.

She looked at me apologetically and I smiled at her. I was disappointed, yes, but seeing her with my family in such a way brought me genuine happiness. I tucked my hands behind my head and closed my eyes, listening to my sisters and Sookie chatter until sleep finally took me away.

**(Sookie POV)**

I rolled over when it felt like time for waking up and yet when I opened my eyes I found it impossibly dark. There wasn't even any moonlight spilling in from the window. Actually, I couldn't even see any of the windows.

The only light in the room was the small alarm clock by the bed. Peering at the numbers through the darkness, I determined that it was 9:15pm. But it couldn't be… I had fallen asleep after that? Perhaps I was dreaming again… I was finding it increasingly hard to tell.

A few moments later, I realized I wasn't alone in bed and concluded that it was a dream.

I happily snuggled into the tall figure beside me and a shiver shot through my body. I drew the blankets closer, and fluffed them up around us; he didn't move. He must have slept like the dead. I chuckled lightly and placed my head against his shoulder, throwing a leg over his before falling back asleep.

It was a comfortable, relaxing sleep that was suddenly disturbed when the body underneath startled me, flipping me over onto my back, sniffing me with interest.

It was rougher than I ever remembered Finn behaving and I wondered what was going on.

The body started rubbing itself against me, removing articles of clothing as he went. My t-shirt, _wait my t-shirt?_ Was torn off and my body filled with excitement.

He nudged my ear, moving my face to the side and ran his fangs down my neck. Fangs?? What kind of dream had I slipped into?

"Mmm lover, why do you smell so delicious this evening?"

"Eric?"

Cool hands traversed my naked body and I became acutely aware of the breeze leaking under the door.

I shivered and my nipples hardened. Almost immediately, he latched onto my right breast, teasing the nipple with his tongue and fangs.

I arched my back up toward his mouth and he used his other hand to lavish my other breast with just as much affection, using his fingers to tease and stimulate the sensitive skin.

He pulled back and blew cold air against my skin, and my body inched closer to him, my body contorting to an almost inhuman level as he sat up further. I all but wanted to drag him to my chest and beg him never to leave and he knew it – he knew the power he had over me in bed. We had been there before. Even in his half-lucid state, Eric had been all man in the bedroom, very much the boss he played in vampire politics.

And as quickly as the thought entered my mind, it left again. He was doing incredible things to me with his fingers and I was dying under his touch. There had been too much teasing, way too much teasing, and I wanted him badly. And I couldn't decide how I wanted him first. I just knew I didn't want to do it on his schedule. The man had forever and he seemed to forget the rest of us weren't as long lived.

Taking the situation into my own hands, I shook off the slightly dazed feeling in my mind and sat up. I switched my bedside lamp on and gazed at him in all his glory. He was completely naked and had been asleep in my bed. His blond hair tumbled over his shoulders and as his blue eyes adjusted to the light, I stared at his face, taking in his strong, masculine features. It was like it had been before, except it was different, there was something deeper in his eyes. I didn't take the time to analyze it, but it comforted me nonetheless.

"Eric."

"Yes Sookie?" He was concealing a smile.

I pointed toward the chair beside my bed. He knew exactly what I was getting at and he stood up near regally, taking his time before sitting down on the chair. He made sure to turn fully before sitting down and, my word, I thanked him for it internally. The man had an amazing body… and he remembered my favorite part.

I moved across the bed slowly, careful to turn my body toward the light so he could see just what he was getting. When I reached the edge, I let my legs fall one at a time to the floor, watching his eyes follow me in the darkness. I sauntered toward him. He gripped the arms of the chair, steadying himself. I loved that I was so clearly turning him on.

Yet, as if he didn't want to make any presumptions, his legs were closed. As I knelt in front of him, I nudged his knees apart with my hands, placing one on each leg, rubbing up his thigh. His muscled legs tensed under my movement and my tongue darted out to moisten my eager lips.

My eyes were naturally drawn to his ready erection, but I lifted them upward, fixing them on his. He was concentrating very deeply, it was a new facial expression from Eric and I wondered exactly how much of his control it required holding himself fast to the chair. It looked like he was walking a very fine tightrope between sanity and yanking me onto his lap as he continued to sniff the air.

I scratched my nails down his thighs and he actually jumped a little. I had shocked us both out of our momentary, eye-locked trance and I was so wet in anticipation.

Leaning over, I kissed his right calf, then the left. I trailed warm, wet kisses up his legs, skirting around his gracious plenty to place soft, fluttery kisses on the taut skin of his lower stomach. I felt the muscles move under my lips and a knot began to form in my own stomach. His body was perfection and I longed to reacquaint myself with every inch of it.

I lowered my mouth toward his length, and met his eyes again before licking him from base to tip – a long, sex-coma-inducing path – slipping the tip of him into my mouth when I reached it. He shuddered and I knew it was taking a great deal of willpower on his part not to lift himself up and push himself further inside.

I wished he wouldn't hold back so much – I wanted him, all of him, and in every possible way. There was no reason for him to act so calmly. I could see the darkness brewing behind his eyes and I desperately wanted that creature and the wild nature that came along with it.

I slid my hands to his hips, then down under his backside, pressing encouragingly to draw him further into my mouth.

I took it slow, easing him inch by inch into my hot, anxious mouth.

His eyes clouded with lust and his hands moved from the arms of the chair, his fingers quickly becoming entangled in my hair. He tugged lightly and I eased up, moving back, swirling my tongue against him as he exited my mouth.

I lapped at the tip like a hungry kitten and mewed softly for him, keeping my eyes trained on his.

He groaned deeply and shifted in the seat. It gave me great pleasure to know I was tormenting him so and with each little tug of my hair, I knew to change it up. We drove each other wild as I varied the tightness of my lips and manipulated his arousal with my tongue.

I used my hands to alternatively stroke him, hold him still, and guide him deeply into my mouth. And when he released, deep in the back of my throat, I felt warmth spread through me. He stroked my cheeks and my hair as I knelt backward, sliding him out of my mouth. I stroked him softly with my hands and he tensed and shook lightly.

He was at his most vulnerable there with me, at my house in Bon Temps, sharing a part of himself with me that no others experienced. And by that, I mean his heart.

As soon as our eyes connected, I knew. He didn't have to say a word to me as he stood and helped me up on my feet. It would come later; I sensed it. We needed each other too badly for words to intervene.

He picked me up, settling my arms loosely around his neck. I wrapped my legs around his body. He stepped backward until his knees met the bed and we tumbled onto it.

I kissed him savagely and he responded in much the same way. And every time I thought we were completely spent, he'd sniff the air and grow hard, ready for another round.

He shared his blood with me and I took it eagerly. I couldn't find it within myself to deny us the pleasure.


	31. Throwing Stars

A/N Thanks for the reviews! :) and thanks and love to Samantha for looking over this chapter for me! and to BrooklynCali for bringing up an important point I hope I addressed well in this next chapter!

Please remember to review – I love getting them! *hugs*

* * *

**(Sookie POV)**

I was woken out of my deep, restful sleep by a startling noise. I rolled onto my left side and squinted, looking towards the door, which was illuminated by the soft light of my bedside lamp.

_Eric must have left it on_, I thought to myself as a small smile crept onto my face. I propped myself up a bit as my eyes continued to adjust to the light. I still felt a teeny bit sore, but a happy sore; an, I just had the best night of my life and still wasn't sure how it happened sore.

I saw something glittering on the door, and when my eyes sharpened, I realized that it was one of my rhinestone-encrusted, costume jewelry flowers that I sometimes wore in my hair or pinned to a dress.

As I contemplated its position - wedged into the wood of the door like a throwing star - my first thought was of the Britlingens from Rhodes and I jolted upright in bed, glancing around the room for Eric (or anyone else).

It was still dark; Eric had not covered up the windows like they had been the previous night and moonlight was streaming in the window. So I knew he had not gone into the hidey-hole or anything like that. _But… did that mean I had slept the entire day? _

Following the stream of light from the window, I noticed it reflect off a sparkling white smile.

I squinted, taking in the small, female form in the room… It was Thalia. I scooted backward in the bed, wondering what the tiny, ancient vampiress was doing in my bedroom… looking smug.

But as soon as my eyes met with hers, which were wild and as dark as her hair, her face resumed its typical expression – sheer annoyance.

"Master! She is awake," Thalia cried before rifling through my wardrobe, throwing clothes into two piles – one to her left on the floor and one to her right into a large, black suitcase. I put my hands to my ears and rubbed them softly. Hadn't she been a vampire for at least a millennium? Didn't she know yelling was not necessary to gain Eric's attention?

Her face was smug for another split second and I realized that, yes she did comprehend that fact – she was just taking delight in my misery. I thought of a few ways I could _wake her up_ in the morning, and then banished my slightly evil notions to watch the door for Eric.

I kept my hands over my ears just in case Thalia decided to call out for him again.

And instead of focusing on why Thalia was removing all of my clothes hastily from my closet and drawers, I wondered where Pam was and why she wasn't close by if Eric needed assistance.

Of course, I could have asked Thalia… but in my experience, talking with Thalia got little resolved. And I had some serious questions that needed answering.

Eric strode into the room slowly – taking his time. He would not let Thalia's call for him be the reason he was entering the room. He didn't even so much as acknowledge her when he entered the room. Rather, he came and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling the comforter up around my shoulders. I had forgotten I was completely undressed and basically exposing myself to Thalia in the darkness. Thalia seemed unphased – by my nudity and Eric's dismissive nature.

"But, where's Pam?" was the first thing I said to him as he stroked my hand with his thumb. Not the most productive question, but it was as good a place to start as any.

"You would prefer Pam pack your belongings?"

"That is not an answer. What in the world is going on? Why is she here?" I was pointing at Thalia. "And why is _that_ there??" I pointed to the gemstone flower in the door.

He turned to look at Thalia with disapproval; I got the picture. And upon further examination of the door, I saw a few more harsh dings in the door.

"My goodness! How… how many has she thrown?"

"Several," he answered flatly. "I was confident that even with the upheaval you would remain asleep until it was time to leave." He followed this with a wink and I knew what he was getting at. He believed he had me in a state of total bliss, and well, hell – perhaps he had. I had slept through six… no seven pieces of Gran's costume jewelry being chucked at the old wooden door. Not to mention an entire day.

"Leave? Where are we going Eric? Has the King requested us? You could have woken me up."

Pam, never one to miss out on the action, strolled into the room with a lingering smile.

"Pam!" I nearly jumped out of bed, but Eric's strong arm across my lap kept me rooted in place. I had never been quite so happy to see her.

She smiled and took one step closer into the light of the room. Her face was flushed and rosy and I had to wonder what she had been doing while Thalia was busy destroying my bedroom.

"I … umm…" I paused and bit my lip. "Pam, where have you been?"

"Upstairs," she said, confirming my suspicions.

Somehow I knew to look to Eric for an explanation.

"The witch needed to stay and maintain your house. I knew you would desire this and I will not waste time searching for a suitable replacement. There was no good reason for her to leave; she was being obstinate."

"Was she… was she glamoured?"

"Sookie, my friend, you underestimate me," Pam said wryly, earning a smile from her master.

"The outcome is pleasing?" Eric asked.

"As always," Pam replied with a wicked grin.

I sighed softly. If Amelia had gotten herself into something with Pam – that was good for them and I didn't want to hear about it. I did, however, want to know how it pertained to me and the suitcase on the floor (with fewer clothes in it than the ever-growing pile to Thalia's left).

"Thalia? Are you almost finished?" Eric inquired.

"Yes Master, I took the requests you made into consideration while using my own keen eye to select clothing. I fear many of the items require replacement."

I stared them both down in succession – though Thalia certainly for less time – she still kind of gave me the creeps. How she had a fan club, I'd never understand.

Letting the insult go by (temporarily) I asked again, "Would someone please tell me what is going on?"

I had wiggled my way out from under Eric's arm and I was standing up on the bed, completely naked.

Pam smiled until Eric met her eyes.

"She does so willingly now master, why can we not look at her?" Pam said while turning to face the window. Thalia snorted, and made no attempt to do the same.

"She is my wife," Eric growled. "No others will partake of her now. She is mine."

His voice was so serious and threatening that even I felt discouraged to add to the conversation. Though that feeling was fleeting.

"Eric… how many times do I have to have this conversation with vampires? I do not belong to you! … Or anyone."

Then it hit me. Unlike previous times where he had referred to me as being something to him other than a friend, he hadn't used the word future. He hadn't said future wife – he said WIFE and he seemed damn sure of it too.

Before he could respond to my original statement – which was dubious anyway, considering he had gotten up and began to close the suitcase on the floor – I squeaked out, "Wife?" barely above a whisper.

I watched, mouth closed, as Eric used one hand to dismiss both Pam and Thalia.

Thalia threw a favorite dress of mine on the ground and walked out nonchalantly – as though she had better things to be doing– not that I doubted she did.

Pam left with absolutely no hustle in her step, smiling at both Eric and I as she walked out of the room. There was no mistaking the look on her face – it said, "I may be leaving, but that is just out of courtesy. I will hear everything you say."

Spoiling her fun, Eric added, "You may return to Fangtasia. Take Thalia with you. And the suitcase."

Eric waited a few moments, during which I seethed, picking discarded garments off the floor, putting the first outfit on and then setting all the others to rights – back in drawers or on hangers accordingly.

When the coast was clear, Eric placed a cool hand on my upper arm, letting his fingers wrap around it loosely. I tried to shrug him off, but I knew it was a conversation we had to have.

"Sit." My command was simple, to the point, and there was a subtextual (word of the day) aspect to it that included the thought: "explanations now!"

His hand slid down my arm until it collected my hand firmly within his. He led me to the chair, sat down, and scooped me into his lap.

I was mildly surprised he listened. I know I wouldn't have.

"Yes, Sookie. I will answer your questions, but please make them succinct. There are only a few hours until dawn and we must leave tonight. And I also have questions… about where you were the night before last and why you came back smelling strongly of fairy."

"What do you mean Eric; I was here with you?"

He kissed my forehead and smoothed my hair back behind my ears.

"You were not. That was yesterday. I am speaking of Saturday."

"I haven't gone anywhere…" I said hesitantly and my mind flashed to Finn. _Was it possible? But why? _

_And had Eric made love to me because I smelled of fairy? But I initiated, right? I saw him holding back… though he looked pained, it's not as if he couldn't have stopped? _ I gulped.

It was all too much to take in at once and I barely heard the next thing Eric said to me: "Your great-grandfather informed me that you may be a target in a possible war. I told him of the breach at our hotel; he seemed most grieved that you did not call upon him."

"I should. I can do that now," I said absently as I reached for the phone, but he held me steadfast in his lap.

"I have spoken with him lover. He knows you are here. He is carrying out his own investigations. Do you remember anything?"

My mind was still spinning, but one thing kept showing up at the forefront that I simply had to address.

"Why did you tell Pam I was your wife?"

"It will be daybreak soon," he reminded me.

I followed with my second most prominent thought: "Eric, did you rub, bite, and fuck me because I smelled of fairy?"

"No." He chuckled. "Though it turns me on, you've had me interested much longer. I've always wanted to have you lover. The memories sustained me far long enough. It was time, and you were more than agreeable. Finally." He paused and I stared at him with a smile playing at my lips. He was complimenting me in his own way. "Were we rough?" he asked. His expression was neutral, not leaning toward feeling pleasure or guilt at the notion.

"I liked it," I said with a grin, to which he laughed. In truth, it had not been too rough at all. It had been the most arousing night of my life being worshipped by Eric and I looked forward to more just like it. I blushed, and knowing that we didn't have time for a reinactment, I decided to answer his question. I remembered things… yes, but I wasn't exactly sure if my dreams connected with my actions yet. And the last thing I wanted to tell Eric in that moment was that I was dreaming of another man.

"I was here Eric, honestly." To the best of my knowledge, I should have added. I kicked myself mentally. I had my own set of possibilities whirling around in my brain, but I wasn't ready to let them out.

"There are fairies quite capable of removing your entire memory. We can be pleased they did not remove more."

"Of my memory?"

"Not just that." Eric accompanied his simple statement with a quick scan of my body and an appreciative glance.

A chill shot through my body. The fae were not as beautiful as they appeared. I had to remind myself of that.

"We must go," he said as he moved us from the chair to the doorway.

"Where?" I puffed out; moving in vampire speed was something I had still not gotten used to.

"I am taking you to my home. You will be safe there."

Before I could complain, he scooped me up again and we were outside by his car. I placed my hand on the side of my head and closed my eyes, trying to get my wits about me.

I used the time it took to drive to Shreveport sort through all my memories of Finn and I felt like a fool when I put it all together.

But what I couldn't place was his method – what was he getting at? I shook my head. It just didn't make any sense to me.

Just then, Eric pulled into the driveway of a large brick home and I turned to him with a slight frown on my face.

"I think I know where I was."

* * *

A/N You can see I'm incorporating a bit of book 9 as I go, just mixing up how the fairy thing goes down. We will hear more about the marriage from Eric and about Finn from Sookie soon. :)


	32. Too Many Thoughts Not Enough Conclusions

A/N Good grief it's been a long time. If it wasn't for Samantha, this wouldn't be here. I hope we can start working on Torn again too. *hugs*

Many Thanks to anyone still reading, I appreciate it!

**Just then, Eric pulled into the driveway of a large brick home and I turned to him with a slight frown on my face. **

"**I think I know where I was." **

**Sookie POV**

Eric turned his head in my direction, looking me over with his eyes as if appraising me.

_Did I deserve his help?_

The thought had never occurred to me before. Eric had been there to bail me out time and time again, and I'd come to expect it. And though I took pride in the instances where I was able to do the same for him, I felt a twinge of guilt for not confiding in him earlier.

The phrase 'too good to be true' resonated within my mind as I recounted my _dreams_. I winced.

And I'd played up to it, like an absolute sucker. Convinced by Amelia, of all people, that such a dreamworld without consequences was possible. I had reasoned with myself that I needed it, that I _deserved _it, that in my heart of hearts I wanted something I knew I couldn't have with Eric and that was my way of coping. I wanted to get it out of my system, to purge myself of the desires to have that life – but it haunted me.

Or at least that's what I thought.

I knew what I was getting into when I met Bill. And at first, my life's course had taken a refreshing twist. I thought I could finally toss normality out the window for some peace. The peace that came with being romantically linked with a vampire. There were downsides too; I soon came to realize that… but the simple joy of being able to relax, to let my mind rest for just a little while was too enchanting to care.

And then I met Eric, like no other man in the world – living or deceased. There was something between us that fit, something magical that buzzed around us when we were together. I was certain at first that I was the only one that felt it. That he was incapable of feeling the same, but I'd underestimated him. I know that now.

Yet, there was a part of me that I wasn't sure I could ever hand over to a man – my complete trust. All my secrets were buried deep within me and I held onto them, whether I liked it or not. As if keeping my inner thoughts so closely guarded afforded me some kind of protection. I wonder now if it's really the exact opposite.

All running away did was serve to add distance between myself and others around me. A sane person might have gathered that from the get go, but I resisted the truth for too long. Even then, sitting there in Eric's car… I wanted nothing more than to get up and run away. Leave everything behind in a vain effort not to be hurt. I had the distinct feeling I'd be letting him down by staying, and selfishly, that I'd be letting myself down for making the choice to be with a vampire.

My eyes scanned Eric in much the same way his had just taken me in; he wasn't saying anything and in the span of our mutual silence, the car had been parked in a garage, the ignition turned off, and the hulking metal door of the garage securely closed behind us.

My mind raced. I felt trapped by the door and I felt uneasy with Eric. It was something I hadn't felt before.

_If he would just say something_, my mind screamed. There I was, putting the onus on someone else one more.

The truth of the matter was that Eric and I had been tangled up for too long; there was too much between us to ever go backward. I was a fool to think otherwise.

And yet, I had allowed myself to truly enjoy the time I spent with Finn. And I still wasn't sure what happened there. I was willing to believe it was real, that he was an actual being of some sort because the evidence pointed in that direction. But what had he gained?

I tried to think back on everything I'd ever said to him. All I suceeded in doing was giving myself a headache. There were too many things to consider. I couldn't be sure of anything, and in my foolishness I had risked getting drawn back into it.

And in some perverse way, I knew that Eric was aware of it. He knew I wouldn't have come with him to his house, however tempting, unless there was something to get away from… something more than the fairy that attacked us in the hotel.

I was at a loss. Somehow over the course of our relationship, Eric knew me as well as, if not better than myself. I owed him a huge thank you, but all I felt in that moment was well, nothing. It was too overwhelming to so much as think so I shut down.

Feeling utterly numb, I watched as Eric got up out of the car. I followed suit, trailing behind him as he went through the door into the house.

The first room we walked into was a kitchen. I didn't take any note of the décor because I was so focused on Eric's face. I was straining to watch for a sign of something – anything flash across it. I knew that it would direct the way I handled things.

On the smallest hint of acceptance, I would spill my guts. We would have it out and get on with things. And if he was angry with me, I could handle that too. My reaction would be to lash out, but the endplace would be the same. We would have it out and get on with things.

What I had not forecasted was the utter stalemate between us.

As palefaced and unwavering as granite, Eric guided me to a small table, pulled out a chair and made motion for me to sit down. Not having pulled my own head out of my ass yet, I complied. I was waiting. Desperately waiting for a cue.

I was still watching him curiously, my own face devoid of emotion, when the word "food" came out of his mouth.

"Food?" I questioned passively, as if the word were foreign on my tongue.

_Kitchen = food_, the thought randomly jumped into my mind. My stomach grumbled in response. Then I felt a bit nauseated by the idea of eating.

"No…" I said softly, but Eric went to the refrigerator and pulled out some items anyway.

I watched the muscles in his back and arms move as he made his selections.

When he wandered back over to me, he placed a bottle of water, some bread rolls, and fruit on the table.

He sat down in the chair next to me and good grief, was I longing for him to reach out, to touch me, to do or say anything. I was about to explode. I could feel something bubbling inside me and I wasn't sure how it was going to come out.

Ignoring it, I picked up the bread roll, turned it over once in my hand, tore a piece off, and brought it up to my mouth.

And then everything went black.

**Finn POV**

It was clear to me that there was a significant attachment between Sookie and the Viking.

Therefore, it only served to add to my good fortune when she arrived at my home minutes before dawn.

I had not planned for this to revive previous issues the Northman and I had with each other, but it sure made things that much sweeter. When given the choice – I preferred a challenge.

I brushed the hair out of her eyes and watched patiently as her chest raised up and down with her breathing.

I had carried her upstairs and placed her in bed when she arrived with a thud on my desk a few hours earlier. Under other circumstances, I would have been thankful for such a gift, a beautiful woman dropping from the sky to my desk, but even with her eyes shut I could tell that she was in pain. Empathy didn't come naturally to me, but even I could tell. And though she had seen better, more peaceful days, she was still ravishingly beautiful.

I thought carefully about what I would say when she awoke. It was a delicate subject and I knew if the Northman already made any mention of me, I had much explaining to do.


	33. Running Away

**Eric POV**

My eyes followed the scrap of bread as it went from nestling against her soft lips to landing haphazardly on the wooden table. When I looked back up, she was gone.

If not for my sensitive hearing, I would have missed the only clue she gave.

"Finn," escaped from her lips just moments before the bread fell… before she disappeared right in front of my eyes.

I only knew of one creature with that alias. And not too many knew; he was proud of his ability to 'keep secrets.'

"Damned fairy," I sputtered as my hands instinctively clenched the arms of the metal dining chair.

I had only moments until sunrise. I left the kitchen as it was, and went to my study to place a call.

A hundred years ago, I would never have done such a thing. I would not have placed any confidence in a fairy and I certainly would not turn to one for help.

As I stalked toward my office with determination, I briefly considered Felipe, but quickly forced the thought out of my mind. The ostentatious king would only fuck with my plan and there was no way he would cooperate with Niall and his kin. And, if anything, it would only make Sookie appear more valuable to his eyes. That was the last thing I needed.

This was the only way.

The phone line connected.

"Northman?"

"Indeed."

"Sookie?"

"I know where she has been going. She is with the second born Irish prince."

"You are sure?"

I rolled my eyes, but answered, "Yes."

"Well... He would be more than capable, but I…" Niall stopped mid sentence.

"How long?"

"This is very tricky… tricky, tricky."

Was he stuck on repeat?

"How long?" I asked, adding to the repetitive conversation, yet it was the only question on my tongue, the only thought in my mind.

"Their lands are hidden, I would need permits. And to make such an accusation…"

He began muttering in a dialect I was only vaguely familiar with. My patience was thoroughly being tested.

Sensing the tension over the phone, Niall continued in english, "By the evening, I should be able to ascertain her whereabouts by this evening."

I hung up the phone abruptly and stalked toward my resting place. And then there was nothing to do but sleep. I wanted nothing more or less than to die for that day – to feel nothing as I lie in wait.

**

**Sookie POV**

I woke up tangled in oddly familiar silk sheets. It took me a minute to place myself as I had a searing headache.

I pressed my fingertips to my temple and then drew them to my mouth just before a gasp escaped.

I heard footsteps in the hall just outside the door; I scrambled to sit up, my hands and arms slipping against the soft, scarlet sheets.

I managed to prop myself up and was just about to swing my legs over the side of the bed when the door creaked open. I froze, my eyes growing wider by the millisecond.

"I brought you some water…" came a voice as the door opened; it was soft, sweet, like droplets of honey on warm toast… and I recognized the familiar Irish lilt.

A red-hot fire burned within me, and not the steamy afternoon romance type. He was going to tell me what was going on or I planned to bludgeon him! I didn't know with what, but I was going to beat the truth out of him if I had to.

_Why was I here? How did I get here? And where was Eric? _

He set the tray table on the bed. I fixed him with a hard stare. He raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"You have questions?"

"You bet your sweet ass I do."

He chuckled. "Thank you for the compliment Sookie. I will tell you everything you want to know. We can't stay here though; I have somewhere to take you."

I huffed. "You've taken me enough places, thank you; I would like to go home." I barely croaked out the last half of the sentence; my throat was really dry.

"That is where we are going Princess, I'm going to take you _home._ Please drink some water; we'll leave within the hour. I'll get you something to change into."

As he left the room, there was a sparkle in his eye I didn't like, though my blasted heart was doing triple flips within my chest.

With my throat still itchy and dry, I drank the damned water.

Finn returned with a long, lilac cotton dress, tall brown suede boots, and a charcoal grey woolen jacket. He smiled as he walked past the bed, and entered the adjoining bathroom. He draped the dress and coat over a chair in the changing area of the bathroom. I know because I was craning my neck to peek in as he pulled things out of cupboards and drew a bath. I quickly composed myself before he walked back out.

"Is all this really necessary?" I called out as he rifled through a tall wooden cupboard and pulled two towels out.

My eyes grew wide as I watched him walk back into the bathroom and place the towels by the bath.

He strolled back into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. I made a move to slip to the right more, but only succeeded in slipping toward him instead.

_This is why practical people do not buy silk sheets,_ I thought to myself as he caught my unsteady arm, and placed it in his lap, running his fingers, warmed from testing the bathwater, along it.

Finn smiled. "One for your hair," he said as his other hand snaked around and began playing with my hair, twirling it absentmindedly as he watched my face.

I was beginning to think he liked my reactions a bit more than he should. I pared back what I was going to say about the towel situation, choosing instead to recite a simple and polite, "Thank you."

He winked and let his hand fall from my hair as he moved to stand. I slipped a little again, but thank heavens remained sitting, reasonably composed. I ran my hand through my hair, as if it gave me back some form of ownership over it. I didn't appreciate all the liberties people were taking with me.

"Is twenty minutes enough time?" he said before pausing, though not long enough for me to fit in an actual reply. "I'll be in my study," he continued before walking out of the room in the same casual, laissez faire manner as he entered.

Jumping out of bed, I rushed over to the door and closed and locked it. I was positive he knew of a way around the lock, but at the time it made me feel a bit more secure. I did the same with the bathroom door.

Why was it that my cellphone didn't travel with me? I wanted to call someone – Eric, Niall, Amelia, even Bill… really anyone would have done at that point. I still felt no closer to answers and though I had this strange desire to trust Finn and follow him, that in itself made me wary.

I removed my clothes and slipped into the bath, which was delicately frosted with iridescent bubbles, and tried to think of what Finn meant when he said he was taking me home.

I highly doubted our definition was synonymous, and I only hoped I'd be able to return to Eric before he went mad looking for me. At least, that's what I wished he was doing, looking for me… because I sure didn't know how to get to him.

After the bath, I put on the light purple dress and accompanying ivory lace slip. The dress had a drop waist and tiered layers of gathered fabric proceeding from there to the floor. It was whimsical and in another situation I may have spent more time appreciating the delicate, vintage design but as it was, I was confused about the jacket.

One look out the window told me it was summer or mid spring, and while the long, airy skirt of the dress and knee high boots were fashionable for all seasons, the wool jacket seemed a bit out of place.

I tied my wet hair back into a low ponytail and scooped up the jacket, carrying it over my arm as I ventured out into the hallway to find Finn's study.

I found it with relative ease, the massive house seemed rather easy to navigate. I supposed part of that was due to the marathon night of hide and seek, finding all of its secret places to hide… but that wasn't the right thing to be thinking of at the time. I needed to focus on getting home, and by home, I meant Bon Temps.

He was sitting behind his desk, chair tilted back, long legs up on the desk, crossed at the ankles. He was concentrating on an old leather book he was holding open in his hands; his face was soft, inquisitive. I instinctively wanted to know what he was mulling over, but I couldn't make out what the spine said from the doorway.

Noticing me, he straightened his back in the chair, which squeaked as he moved. He closed the book and set it on the desk. I stepped closer, peeking at the cover of the book when I thought he wasn't looking.

The cover simply said 'Djinn' in gold embossing; I still couldn't see the spine.

"You look beautiful, but you are not ready to go," he said as he stood from behind the desk and shuffled some items around, and placed the book in a drawer.

"Are you taking me to Bon Temps?"

He smiled, which always left me feeling a bit uneasy. Charmed, but uneasy.

"Yes… and no," he answered cryptically as his smile widened.

My stomach rose and fell.

"Your hair isn't dry. Come sit."

"Why?"

"Why do you spend so much time questioning everything Sookie, have I ever led you astray?"

"Yes!" I thundered.

"When?" he asked calmly.

"You lied to me, you tricked me and brought me here… several times. You continue to bring me here when I don't want to be here. I thought you were a figment of my imagination. I would never have…" I trailed off as my temper began to flare. It wasn't going to get me anywhere and I wanted to watch my words.

"Touche," he said as he made his way around the desk to lean on the front edge. "Please, come here."

I walked toward him and sat in one of the large chairs in front of his desk. I sunk into it with a plop, and continued fuming silently. Helpless was the one emotion I hated.

He moved so that he was standing behind my chair, slipped the elastic off my ponytail, and began running his hands through my hair.

He spoke before I could figure out my next move, "I suppose I did bring you here against your will, originally. Though you did seem eager to join me…"

I couldn't see his face, but I was sure it was smug.

… "But since then, it is your will that has brought you. You've made your choices, conscious or unconscious, to run from what you know in your realm to me here. I couldn't stop you if you asked me to."

He lifted his hands from my hair and I turned my head to look up at him. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed my hair; it was dry, flowing down past my shoulder in long, shiny waves.

"How did you?"

"Another time; we must go now."

"Why?"

He smiled, and it was one of those smiles you give a child when you want them to comply. I knew it all too well; it reminded me of my childhood with Gran; she was always so diplomatic.

"It won't be safe here much longer. If we stay, I will certainly be taken away and I don't know whose hands you will be in then."

Deciding I didn't need any more parties involved, I chose to go with him. If he was telling the truth, that I had willed myself to his realm somehow, then surely at some point if I needed to I could get myself back out. It was shaky logic, but it was all I had so I clung to it.

He took my hand, led me out of the room, through the house to the entryway, grabbed a jacket from a stand in the foyer and we left through the main door.

Though we did not end up in his garden, or at least not as I remembered it, or as it had looked not ten minutes ago from the bathroom window…

Everything was snow and ice, and when I noticed he was trying to help me slip the jacket on, I accepted his help kindly; it was bitter cold outside. I buttoned the jacket up myself and slipped on the gloves that were tucked in the pocket. He put on his own coat and pulled a long ice blue scarf out of the pocket that he handed to me.

"Magic, right?"

"I noticed you took care of the gloves, but your face must be freezing in this weather. It was either a scarf or kisses. Shall I take back the scarf?"

He grinned.

I wrapped the scarf around my neck and pushed the long tails to the back, which was answer enough. There was so much snow, I couldn't see more than twenty or thirty feet in front of us. I turned to the left and right; everything looked the same. I hoped he knew his way through the snow coated forest.

And just as a flash of doubt crossed my mind, he took my hand and led me through the forest.

We kept up a fast pace, which helped me stay warm. I wondered just how practical a dress was in four inches of snow, but it didn't seem to be holding me back any so I didn't question it outloud.

And then, after about ten minutes or so we stopped. Finn stopped me with one hand, and put the other to his mouth, indicating that I should remain quiet and still.

_Oh boy, my two favorite things, _I thought sarcastically.

"We are here," he whispered.

"In Bon Temps?" I asked incredulously, matching his lowered volume.

"In a matter of speaking," he replied.

"And what does..."

He fixed me with a stare, not a malicious one, but rather one of warning; I had raised my voice without knowing it.

Lowering my voice, I started again, "And what does that mean anyway?"

"This is Bon Temps, geographically anyway. But in some ways, quite far removed from Bon Temps. This land can't be seen by a human eyes, and it cannot be visited by those without a supernatural gift."

"I've lived here all my life, and I obviously have this gift if I'm here now. What gives?"

He chuckled softly. "I do love your language Sookie. It's been a very long time since I've consorted with humans, and you my dear are a very welcome change."

"But you just said I'm not human. I don't understand."

"Well, that is another peculiar case as you are and you aren't. But that is why we are here. Shh, quiet now. She's coming."

I squinted and tried to look as far as I could into the distance. I could just barely make out what appeared to be the edge of a lake and then I noticed there was a woman walking toward us with long hair peppered with white snow. I reached for Finn's hand and squeezed it tightly. He returned the gesture and took two steps forward toward the woman, holding me back behind him slightly.

As she came into focus, I noticed that she was quite beautiful, but she looked like she had been crying. Her eyes were red and there were ice crystals in streams on her face like tears frozen in time. She looked at me with interest for a moment, her blue eyes focused on my face before Finn spoke up, stealing her attention momentarily.

"Tempe, I've brought her."

The woman stole another glance toward me before smiling and reaching out to me. As our hands touched, the ice began to melt from her face, streaming down her face as tears. She drew me close to her, looked in my eyes, and everything felt safe… and oddly warm. When she let me go, she took my free hand (Finn still had the other) and led me toward the lake. It was only then that I noticed the ice and snow had melted away, and in its place was a lush landscape of spring colors that seemed vaguely reminiscent to me.

As we moved closer to the lake, I realized… this was the lake behind Jason's house. I looked all around, looking for it, and though it was no where to be seen, I knew. I knew. One wet tear worked its way from my eye down my cheek and I looked to Finn and mouthed the words, "Thank you."

A/N Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting and story alerting It makes me smile! It's going somewhere, I promise. I'm about halfway through my plot now.


	34. Returning Home, Kind of

**Update for old friends (and myself):** At the moment, Sookie is with Finn, a fairy who tricked her into spending time with him thinking he was a dream so he could get information about her fae connections and use it to hopefully overcome Niall and become the fae king of North America. Inadvertantly, he ends up telling her much more about herself than she knew before and there was the beginning of an important meeting in the last chapter.

In the meantime, Niall and Eric are looking for Sookie and as Sookie is away, a battle has begun back home (more on both of these things next chapter). If you're hoping for Eric, maybe wait until the next chapter and read them together.

.

_As we moved closer to the lake, I realized… this was the lake behind Jason's house. I looked all around, looking for it, and though it was nowhere to be seen, I knew. I knew. One wet tear worked its way from my eye down my cheek and I looked to Finn and mouthed the words, "Thank you."_

.

.

There was a sparkle in his eye as he moved his head forward in a slow nod to acknowledge my gratitude.

A million questions were buzzing through my mind and I couldn't wait to sit down and talk with her, to hear how any of this was possible…

**Finn's POV**

I let Sookie's hand slip from mine as Tempe led her to the water's edge. I hung back, just at the fringe line of the forest; I would still hear everything that was said, but it gave them the illusion of privacy, and they needed that.

I had not thought far enough ahead this time; I'd allowed one rash decision after another to guide me down the wrong path. So while I waited, I strategized. Virtually anywhere I took her, she'd be found… in time. All I really required was enough time to tell her the truth and secure her safety, but damned if I didn't want to keep her to myself forever. I wasn't even sure why.

It became a decision based on where she'd have the most time to settle in, consider staying, to make it more than a temporary fix. Running wasn't a lifestyle I had planned on living, and truthfully, it was hard to gauge what Sookie's reaction would be if I laid that option out to her.

No, I'd have to go the next stretch alone. There were attachments between us, and as much as it pained me, I had to admit the threads ran both ways. I settled myself against a tree, facing away from them, kneels pulled up close, head in my hands, thinking… biding my time.

A few hours passed and Sookie came running over. She stopped short just in front of me and took a deep breath in.

With her exhale, a mouthful of words tumbled out in quick succession, "She says they're on their way."

"Then, it's time to depart."

"Can she come with us?"

"No." I stood and dusted off my legs.

"Can we come back here?"

"I'm not sure," I replied sceptically. It was the truth. If I were Niall, this would be one of the areas I watched most diligently. Yet, he hadn't in the past, so it might be a possibility.

_Maybe a century or two later_, I thought, but I wasn't about to start that discussion.

"Who is coming? And why?"

I couldn't risk telling her the truth, not yet… "We can discuss this later; we should go."

I reached out and took her hand, peering deep into her eyes to show her how serious the matter was. Sookie squeezed my hand gently then ran back to her mother and gave her a kiss goodbye.

"I will always love you," I heard Tempe's words in the air as Sookie joined me once more and Tempe faded off into the distance.

A tear slid down Sookie's cheek. Leaning toward her, I wiped it away with my finger and stroked her cheek. She appeared comforted for a mere second before her mouth caught up with her minds endless thought process.

"Can you take me to Eric?" she asked.

I paused for a moment. It wasn't a question I anticipated.

"Eric would be of little use; he is dead."

"Yes, I know," she said with a slight edge to her voice.

To discourage bitterness from settling in my heart, I backtracked.

"It is daylight in your world. We would be risking his _safety_ to visit him now."

_He can't protect you. Not like I can_, that's what I wanted to say. I knew it was of little value to her so I went with what I knew was more along the line of what she wanted to hear. It was a truth too, not my truth, but a truth, perhaps one for those whom valued his well being. I held back a laugh.

Sookie was the one who held the key to bringing herself to Eric. I wasn't aware of his daytime resting place; I was sure he guarded its location carefully, though I had a feeling he might have let it slip with Sookie. The soft, southern belle with an insistent personality had a tendency to make you give away secrets you had no intention of sharing.

She eyed me cautiously.

"I have a home in Egypt. Do you like the desert?" I offered.

"I don't know; I've never been."

Though tempted to escort her there and hide her in the confines of a lush oasis, I had already made the decision to bring her elsewhere.

"Shall we then?" I offered her my arm.

"Okay…"

She linked her arm through mine, and away we went.

When we arrived at our destination, she immediately let go of my arm and asked, "Can you bring anyone anywhere like that?"

"No." I was curious to know why she asked, but she didn't pursue it further as we moved through the trees.

A moment later I continued, "Only those with fae blood are able to travel in such a capacity. Those of half-fae lineage are able to move between worlds with ease. Further dilution varies; many have died in the attempt to visit our world. I was taken by surprise when you showed up at my home that evening."

"You didn't call for me?"

I had to think about her question carefully before answering. Sure, I'd probably had the stray thought that it would be nice to have her on my terms, in my land, but that had never been cause for someone to appear magically.

"No, I did not."

"Why is she there?"

"Who, Tempe?"

"Yeah. How did she get there? Why did she leave?"

"She didn't explain _anything_ to you?"

"She mostly asked questions. All of her answers were very vague. Almost as if she wasn't sure of the answers herself."

"It's likely she doesn't understand Sookie. However, her love for you is pure."

"What do you mean by that, she doesn't understand?"

"Forest nymphs are not known for their intellect. Their only interest is to guard the forest. To have lofty ambitions of their own would be detrimental to the grounds they inhabit."

"So, that's what she is, some sort of fairy of the woods?"

I tried not to be insulted by her comment.

"She is magical as we are, but we are not made of the same elements. I am responsible to my people; her worry is for the land. She is much more elemental than I and has been there as a protector since the beginning of time."

"But, how am I here?"

"She resembled a human, for a time anyway. She had the unfortunate luck of running into a genie."

She looked at me incredulously.

"I know, to you it sounds like a farce, but I will warn you. There are dark elements at work in the world… that take delight in the pain of others."

"Can you tell me more about what happened with my parents? Is my father alive as well?"

Not wanting to raise her hopes, I prefaced my description of the resting place of the fae, the Summerlands, with "No, where he has gone, we cannot follow." Not yet, anyway; I hoped my own time to depart was far off, if ever.

"He was part fae, which is what most likely attracted your mother to him and also why he was able to perish in the flood, though that had more to do with the fate set upon them. The fae are strong willed and fight dearly to protect their lives, though not immortal… Tempe is able to gaze into other realms to keep track of the woods, to make sure nothing happens to them. Though she is unable to travel, there are creatures in the woods she can call to in the human realm if she were in need of assistance."

I paused, considering what needed to be said in the small amount of time we had left together. "It is best the two worlds do not meet."

In fact, it would be much easier if none of the worlds overlapped, I thought ruefully. Existence was rather like a sick joke on occasion.

"The land lay undisturbed for a time, and then the age of humans came to be. So much like us in appearance, yet very different. Over the years, she grew to admire the humans she watched." Something I would have considered extremely hard to believe not even a year earlier.

"She became infatuated with your father who built his home in the heart of her woods and she desired him greatly."

We came to a slow stop; a large tree on its side obstructed the path. Placing a hand under the moss covered hindrance; I began to lift, and then changed my mind. Wiping my hand on my pant leg, I walked toward Sookie and scooped her up, making sure her arms were firmly around my neck before climbing up and over the felled tree. I walked a few more paces, as far as I knew I could get away with before she would struggle and then stopped to put her down.

As she descended, I kept my eyes on hers and smiled. As a soft blush spread across her face, I continued the story, "A genie made his way through her woods and offered to fulfill her heart's desires. An attractive prospect to near anyone I can imagine."

I smiled down at Sookie once more.

"And as you can imagine from there she wished to cross worlds and be like your father. A genie by nature searches for ways to twist requests. But… she resembles a human ever since that day, though it was not a complete mutation. Anything a genie is able to give you only masquerades as the truth; it's only because of your father and his genealogy that anything from the union has remained."

I gave a quick nod in her direction to illustrate my point.

"I'm not sure of exactly what happened between then and you, her mind is a bit fuzzy in places and Niall hasn't exactly publicized the ordeal, so many of the details remain a secret. My best guess is that she wished for a child and something went wrong with the first one."

She laughed, "Yeah something like that." I let her laughter ride out, echoing through the woods and then watched as her face changed to a look of love, though perhaps tough love as shown by the sly, slightly crooked smile on her face. "Jason is well… he's difficult sometimes. I wouldn't go so far as to call him defective, though I might well have in the past, he just doesn't think ahead. I love him, but god help him sometimes."

She threw up her hands in exasperation and the look on her face was very sweet, wistful, as if she were reminiscing on more simple times. I committed her face in that moment to memory.

Smiling, I continued, "Some part of her final wish must have specified that you not be human, that you were to live forever as she does. I believe her plan was to take you home with her when the time came. She knew her duties to the woods, knew she would be forced to return. Her only hope was for an eternal companion, you. She soon learned that her time in your world was to be brief, and was heartbroken leaving you behind. She also grieved for her lost chance at love and her son Jason, but she pined the most for you. Can't say that I blame her."

I gave her a wink and then reached out and held her elbow to save her from falling over; she tripped over an exposed root while turning her head toward mine.

"And the genie?"

"Rectified," I answered, "Fintan took the liberty after your parents passed on. He didn't want you or Jason to meet the same end. Genies have a habit of plaguing families. In fact, he didn't want anyone to interfere with your lives. I don't know what he had planned to tell you when the time came, when you stopped aging."

She stopped dead and turned to face me. "Can I change it?"

"No," I stated truthfully, kicking an errant rock off the path. Idling was not in my nature; I felt mildly uncomfortable standing there in awkward showdown. Her hands had moved to her hips and so far as I could tell by her eyes, ideas were ricocheting wildly through her mind. I had no idea what would come next.

When nothing came, I offered condolence, "your mother had the best intentions, but she was simple. She was fixated with your father and she couldn't help it. She thought he was a human man, she didn't know how it would complicate things."

Her next question took me by surprise.

"I… Is my mother the reason people are so _attracted_ to me?" She looked awkward asking, but I could hardly blame her curiosity. She began to walk forward again down the path; I followed alongside.

"Your beauty, yes, you favor her greatly, but also your father." I touched a finger to my cheek just below my eye and she blinked in confirmation; there was no doubting where her startling blue eyes came from.

"Your intelligence and warm heart no doubt come from the Brigant line. I'm sure that has a great deal to do with your grandmother as well, innately and also in part in how she raised you."

Sookie smiled. My brain took another mental snapshot; I wasn't sure I'd see her again as calm and happy as in that moment.

"Niall said I wouldn't want to meet a genie."

"A wise sentiment," I agreed.

.

"We're here," I announced a few moments later, taking stock of the cleared land and large stone house a few hundred yards in front of us.

"You know, you promised to take me home."

"In a way I did."

"And you believe genies deceptive?"

_Touché. _

"Will you sit here for a moment?" I indicated a large stump at the edge of the forest; I could hear voices in the valley and there were some things I wanted to discuss before we were interrupted.

And I unleashed upon her the truth, as I knew it. There was no way she would stay put without it, and even with it, I had my doubts. She was stubborn and wilful, and preferred to fight her own fights, not one to be caged or protected. However, this was not her fight, not exactly. Though she would be used as leverage by anyone who could get their hands on her. Having had my hands on her previously, and enjoyed it immensely, I was disgusted by the thought of anyone else taking that place, but I could not take it anymore either. For as human as she was raised, she didn't deserve to be used in such a way.

"So, if you take me home, I'll what, be seduced by another brother of yours?"

"Don't think I don't have several more up to the challenge. They've seen and heard about you." I winked. "But no, I've enough respect in my family to dissuade them. It's the other, far more ruthless families I consider a threat now. The ones who would rather see your blood spilled to make their point than take you to bed."

She scoffed, "Is that what you were doing, was it?"

"I did get you into my bed several times as I recall."

"And I recall not much happening… unless you?"

"No, I wouldn't."

Color us both surprised. I wasn't sure why I didn't or wouldn't. Maybe it was some trick of her heritage. Perhaps we had all underestimated her worth and her charms, or maybe I was looking for something to blame her appeal on, something that would discount the respect I felt for her, the way my heart pounded when I thought of her.

Gracefully avoiding/ignoring the issue, I brought our discussion back to the impending war, of the prince Breandan and his followers and what the future could hold for all of us.

…

I raised my voice about ten decibels to match hers "… but don't you see? You'll be safe if you stay here, he can't get you here; no one can."

"You got here! Doesn't seem to be much set up in the way of moral borders here."

Exasperated, I resisted the urge to throttle her into submission.

"You _need_ to stay." I punctuated my words carefully, my voice cutting the air as deftly as a razor.

"You haven't given me any reason to trust you!"

_Hadn't I just given her a hundred? Her safety being number one. Sure she would survive anything, but she would not come through torture or cruelty the same person._ And that was only the beginning of what could be on the table for her in the hands of another rival to the throne. And that thought, that I might be one of the last to see her beautiful smile, tore through me and kept me fighting her, urging her to stay, to ensure her safety.

_Perhaps it was just me she was so opposed to_, I considered.

"Do me this one favour and you'll never have to see me again, that would make you happy, wouldn't it?" I tested.

After a second, she responded, "Yes."

The hesitation, however brief, gave cause for a huge grin to form on my face. She was bluffing; she might have wanted to mean it and perhaps someday she would mean it, but then, right then, she did not.

I would have openly laughed, except she scowled in the next second. It was such an endearing twist of events, I found it hard not to gather her up in my arms and console her, tell her that I was going to do right by her from now on. The only thing stopping me was that I doubted she'd believe me anyway so I didn't bother to share the courtesy with her; there would be time for that later. Maybe.

"And what, am I to just stay here relying on your word that when this skirmish is over someone will come rescue me? You've already promised it wouldn't be you."

That stung a bit, but I nodded my head amicably.

"So I'm to trust a complete stranger with my person, not to mention all the strangers milling around here now because you say so."

I nodded again. She could make it _sound_ as ridiculous as she wanted to, perhaps to just get it off her chest, but we both knew the answer to her questions was yes.

"And what if you, well…" She chewed her lip for a moment. "What if you die? Who will even know I'm here?"

"Niall is already looking for you; he'll figure out your whereabouts soon enough and while I doubt he will come himself considering his current concerns, I am sure he will send someone. Claudine, perhaps? I'm sure he will be wanting to send her to safety as well; I've got a sneaking suspicion my brother has gotten her pregnant. Callum, of course, has access to these lands, as does Niall with a little assistance; you'll be found. If I die, you will not rot here," I concluded with a brilliant smile.

"And whose side will you be fighting on?"

"My own, as always. I'm not bound to anyone but myself." I believed it as the truth at the time.

"Must be lovely."

"Not always, it's lonely you know." I was teasing her now.

She huffed, "I highly doubt you have to scrounge up company."

"I was _forced_ to _deceive_ you, was I not?" Playful exaggeration.

She hesitated, "Well, under the circumstances" she paused again, appearing to mull it over.

No matter, I could tell it would lead to territory I was unready to discuss. Or unwilling.

I reached for her hands and held them tightly within mine, "Best of luck with your life Sookie, you won't be here long (subjective), I give you that promise if you'll promise me one thing."

She looked at me indignantly, but I set my face in such a way that had shown results in the past; puppy dog eyes I think she'd called them before.

"Right, let's hear it," she said as she pulled her hands back, willing to humor me, but not agreeing to anything on the spot.

"Don't stop for strange men in the night, ever. It's bound to lead to trouble, okay?"

…

**Sookie POV**

And with that, he was gone.

Having not much else to do, I wandered up to the house in search of friendly faces. If it was a possibility Claudine could be sent her, there might be others I knew.

_No, I doubt that, _I thought as I climbed up a steep hill on my path. It's not as if I knew that many of the fae.

And just as I thought it, I was quickly proven wrong.

Tumbling down one of the hills, getting their stark white dresses covered in grass stains were two small girls. As I drew closer, I immediately recognized who they were.

_You'll leave_, I thought to myself, _but leave me with two of the best reminders of you, will you_. I zigged to the left to make ground toward the main road again when one of the girls noticed me from her position, balanced on her back with her legs up in the air giggling. She threw her hand up in a quick wave and her sister soon followed.

Turning toward them once again, I sucked in a deep breath and braced myself, as if expecting the worst could be what, that they would pull a knife on me? I hardly expected that. Loosening up, I smiled and waved back.

.

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**A/N** Sorry for any mistakes, I only did a quick run through afterwards. :o) Transition chapter, just wanted to get something published. Bit of foreshadowing in that "only Sookie knew how to get to Eric" so yeah, he isn't gone from this story; I'm just awfully long winded.


	35. Northman

Yum yum, viking time :p

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**Eric POV**

Ten days had passed since I last discussed the matter of Sookie with Niall. The old fairy was preoccupied, rallying allies for another war. It had been a few centuries since he was last challenged and I did not know how it would turn out this time, nor did I much care. All I longed for was my wife's return.

I could close my eyes and sense her pulse in my mind, remember exactly what it felt like to run my tongue over her neck, her thigh, her breasts. I fell into this dreamlike state several times each evening when I retreated to my office. It wasn't good for business, Pam said, but I could sense she was worried, though she hid it even better than I. And there was fuckall I could do to reassure anyone.

Bringing my fist down on the desk, I stared impatiently at the phone. Ten days.

If she was with Finn, like I believed, I doubted he would hurt her; it wasn't his way, at least not with women.

_Not directly anyway, _I thought bitterly. We had that much in common.

And while I had every confidence that Sookie would not betray me, I was sure he would attempt to seduce her. Every damn person the woman met seemed to try for her.

One look at her shone light on the reason, but her attitude, that was a different story. I hoped it would keep interested parties away, but it did not seem to; she charmed everyone.

Rolling my eyes, I swung my hand wildly across the desk, scattering papers and sending a metal stapler straight into the wall.

_Feisty_. That is how I would describe Sookie. There were a multitude of F adjectives that sprung to mind: frustrating, foolish… but her feistiness… that was what made her so appealing. She was stubborn, but her determination made her sexy, made her the person I respect. And that made it harder.

Djävlar! I wanted to know what was going on. Where he had her, what he was trying… what he might have already gotten away with. And the way she'd said it, not five minutes after settling into my kitchen, a little breathy sigh, _Finn_.

And the massive hole punch on my desk struck the wall in nearly the same place as the stapler.

I needed to teach her how to properly wield a weapon, where to aim to seriously wound as I knew she'd object to killing outright; I'd wasted too much time denying my interest in her and not enough securing her.

_Fool._

And in contrast, Niall had spent too much time on potions and spells of little use and not enough time with the truth or providing her with _skills_she could use to protect herself. There was no one to blame but myself.

When she returned, I would not be not taking no for an answer. She would _not_ leave my sight. Fuck her female sensitivities and her need for independence. She could be independent within the confines of our home and Fangtasia. It would have to be good enough for her and I was confident I could persuede her.

That provided sufficient distraction.

Until… someone knocked at the office door, waking me from my trance. As a vision of Sookie danced away, Pam strolled in, head cocked to the side, her mouth straining to hold back a smile.

"What?!" I demanded, pushing myself back from the desk. The wheels of the chair dug channels into the wood below with the force. I stood up, walked to the other side of the desk and propped myself against it.

A full smile broke out on Pam's face and I noticed her gaze dip down past my waistband.

"If you've come here to stare at my cock Pam, I haven't the time. Find someone else to mock this evening."

"You should take that and head home," she said, pointing to my very aroused member. "It's not good for the club; your pent up sexual tension has caused five bar fights and I sense another brewing. People feel it when you're like this, you know."

I did. A vampire's sexual energy was what brought people to the club and kept them coming back; it's why I had my subjects frequent the club, why I built the damn throne and stage.

All of it seemed ridiculous in that moment; I had nothing but contempt for the people who filled my club, what was their money to me if it didn't bring me what I wanted.

But then, when had my objectives changed? Far before I committed myself to the puzzling _human/fae/I didn't even know or care what_ Sookie Stackhouse, that much was certain. But when? She was naught but a virgin when we met, though there was nothing _special_ in that.

I had been with fae descendents before – their blood was intoxicating, yes, but there was more. It was her hard head and soft heart I treasured far beyond the blood that flowed within her veins. Her golden hair and gleaming blue eyes that haunted my waking thoughts, more than bloodlust. The kind of lust I knew how to escape, the kind I could quench by slitting her throat and drinking to excess.

And yet the very idea of that made me feel ill, not excited. The idea of anyone hurting her in such a way made my dead heart burn within my chest. The animation within me that was so finely tuned to hunting humans, to exploiting them only hungered for one thing now, to feel her again. To hold her close and make love to her as I'd done when I was alive, as I'd done the last time we were _together_.

Pam eyed me up and down; my erection had subsided, but my child knew that my desire had not. She opened her mouth to speak, and I silenced her with my words, "Home. Yes. If I'm needed, you know where to find me."

"I do." She quietly excused herself from the room. _Sensible, for once._

I gathered my coat and some invoice books; I wanted to look busy as I left to avoid any confrontations. I had nothing to say to anyone.

Noticing a crowd of women leaning against my car in the parking lot, I took to the sky before they noticed my exit.

It began to rain when I was a little more than halfway home and while it didn't exactly impede flight, it was a bloody nuisence.

I arrived on my back porch around ten minutes later. Standing under the cover of the wooden roof, I shook out my long hair and removed my coat, hanging it to dry over the back of a patio chair. Sniffing the air, I paused. There was someone in my house. How, why, I did not know, yet I was sure of their presence.

As quick as lightening, I unlocked the back door, keying in security codes in the blink of an eye.

_Odd, everything was still set._ My mind had been playing tricks with me since Sookie's departure, but my keen senses never let me down, my need for self preservation only grew as the years passed.

I moved through the house quietly with great stealth. I preferred to surprise rather than be surprised. But when I reached my bedroom, I paused. My heart fell. In the chair… _Sookie_.

I rushed past her and closed the blinds, turning at once to face her. I blinked twice to be sure she wasn't a mirage. She was staring back at me, and yet I didn't believe it. I wanted to reach for her and at the same time did not; I was afraid to be let down. That she wouldn't really be there.

So instead she stood and came to me.

"Eric, I…"

She placed a warm hand on my chest, the heat radiated through my body and I allowed myself to give in. I tugged her close, clawing at her clothes to get a grip on her, forgetting that my clothes were soaked with rain whereas she was dry.

Holding her as close as possible without crushing her delicate bones, I sat down in the chair she had previously occupied, kissed her face, both cheeks, her forehead, her perfect nose, her full lips, which by now began to shiver slightly from the cold.

"My Sookie," my chest rumbled; it was barely more than a whisper, but the line gave me more peace than I had felt in decades. I clung to her as if she were my sanity, my lifeline, my chance at salvation.

I claimed her lips once more, easing my hold on her body so she could adjust herself to better fit against me. Her hands went to the buttons of my shirt, making fast work of undoing them before she began pushing at the shoulders to tug it off. Not quite as gentle, I tore her own shirt, now nearly as wet as mine, away from her body, buttons be damned.

I stood again, and her legs wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. She kissed my neck fervently and I knotted my hands in her hair, taking her scent in as her body pressed against me.

Running my hands down her back, I pulled at the fabric of her bra. She leaned backward and let it fall down her arms, sliding it off, one arm at a time, the other holding my shoulder in a tight grip so as not to fall. The movement was slow, torturous and as her breasts were exposed, my mouth watered.

Laying her down gently on the bed, I hovered above her, taking stock. Sookie ran her tongue over her swollen lips and I couldn't contain myself. I pushed her back on the bed, and slipped one hand up under her skirt while my mouth began to ravage her breasts.

A few hours later, naked and dry, I held Sookie bundled in a quilt tight against my chest. Her slow, steady breathing was comforting to me and felt right against my body, which had no use for lungs for over a thousand years.

Her flushed cheeks warmed the skin of my chest and though I was curious to know how she'd arrived there, to question her, I didn't want to move. Not for a hundred years or more. Selfish, I know, but I felt entitled. I had gone too long without. Days maybe… but still, too long. I wouldn't admit my worry to her, though I was sure she knew. I had been too eager the first time I took her that night and there was no helping that; I made it up to her several times over and she was more than ready.

Sookie's hands began to move against my stomach, lightly stroking the taut muscles, circling the hair that grew in a path from my bellybutton. The act wasn't awkward or rushed, but leisurely, comfortable. I wondered how I'd ever gone without.

I drew her up, closer to me, so that her head was cradled against my shoulder. Placing soft kisses in her hair, I did something I seldom did – I sighed with relief. An exaggerated intake and exhale of useless air that made me feel whole, made me feel right, laying there in bed with her. Our bed.

I hadn't told her of my plans, our plans. That she'd seldom be leaving our bed now that I had her back. I didn't think it'd be of any consequence to her, especially after her actions. It was clear we wanted the same thing.

And then I was taken by surprise for the second time that night.

"Eric, I have to go," she murmured softly into the skin of my side.

Had I not the fine tuned hearing of a vampire, it might have escaped me. And even then, after I had heard it and knowing that she knew I did, I wanted to ignore it. And I tried, I gripped her tighter and kissed her hair again, breathing in her scent deeply. Moaning softly on the exhale to let her know how pleased I was that she was there, with me, where she belonged.

She repeated herself, a bit more forceful this time as she tried to right herself in bed.

"Eric, I've got to go."

_No_, my mind screamed, _No. Not now, not ever_.

As if sensing my inner workings, she pushed against me a little harder. My arm tightened around her.

"Eric, I'm serious. It's dangerous for both of us if I stay."

"I'll go with you, anywhere." _Did I say that?_

It might have been in the heat of the moment, but I came to realize I meant it.

"You can't. I… look, I'll come back tomorrow. I've figured out how I can, uhh, visit, but I can't stay and I haven't time to tell you more. You can't tell anyone I was here, promise me?"

This was not how it was to go. She was not supposed to be the one making demands, asking for promises, but those pleading eyes, those big blue eyes, surrounded by a halo of golden hair, sufficiently messy from our lovemaking.

I shifted us so that she was directly underneath me; nothing ever looked so beautiful. Propped up on my elbows, I searched her eyes. She did have to go, one look told me that, though I was not pleased. Cursing under my breath in five different languages, I began to sit up.

"Tell me why."

"I don't have time. Same time tomorrow, I promise."

She hopped up and dressed quickly. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched, wanting to take her again, to consume her and will her not to leave. If there was a time for glamour, it was now. She belonged to me.

She stood between my legs, and with hands gripping my thighs, she leaned forward and kissed me deeply.

"When I come back, you'll explain to me what you meant when you called me your wife; don't think you've gotten away with that one."

She smiled and I couldn't help but grin as I pulled her to me for a final kiss.

And then she was gone, though I still felt the lingering warmth of her lips on mine. I took another futile breath and made my way to my secure resting place under the house. It wasn't quite time to die for the day, but there was little else to do.

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	36. Quarrelling lovers

**Sookie POV **

Standing in front of the mirror, I pushed my hair from the sides and then from the back, stretching a hair elastic in one hand while keeping grip with the other.

In the mirror, my attention followed a bead of sweat as it dripped slowly down my neck.

Then, as my eyes diverted from its course back to the task at hand, my chest rose and fell dramatically. I saw him behind me, through the mirror and it was cause for my heart to stop, to swell.

He moved closer, ever so slowly, and wrapped strong arms around my waist, nose ruffling through my hair like it was candy packaging and he intended to savour me slowly. My heart began to thud louder in my chest.

Dropping the hair elastic, I felt my hair, still hot and slightly damp from lovemaking fall on my shoulders and spill down my back. He brushed it aside and his cool nose made contact with my skin. It felt like ice on a sunny day, welcome but still shocking in a way. I tensed and relaxed as temperature stimulations, hot and cool, cool then hot, bombarded my brain, slipping away into abandon.

My head lolled back, resting against his chest as he continued his perusal of my neck, nipping the skin lightly, sneaking in a few exploratory licks. I hoped that I tasted sweet.

My toes tightened, curling against the cold, marble floor and I leaned more heavily into him. There was an innate trust there; I knew I wouldn't fall, that he _had_ me, that even if the overwhelming feelings in my body were cause for me to faint, _and I didn't doubt that possibility_, I would be safe, protected. Because that is what he promised.

His hands slipped with ease against my body, one making its way up to firmly cup my breast and the other lower… my breath caught in my throat.

.

I visited Eric whenever I could sneak away; it was a dangerous game we were playing, but that made it exciting for us, well at least for me. There were times, times I knew he'd heard something I'd not been told and he'd begged me to go straight back, not to spend the night with him. We would argue and sometimes I did leave… but it never kept me away, not for good.

I hated that things were going on that I didn't know about; that people I cared about were threatened and that there wasn't much I could do about it. Eric did his best, and from what I heard, so did Finn. Not that I went around digging up information, but one would overhear things now and then…

Being surrounded by his family all night and most of the day ensured that much. I didn't hate that in itself, though I did my best to distance myself. It was one thing hearing anecdotes concerning him from little girls, I'd slough it off as a little bit of hero worship, I'd felt the same about Jason when I was younger (that wore out fast), but another to listen to his older sisters or mother. I wasn't sure why exactly, but I shied away from it. Feigning a headache or stomach trouble when I couldn't ignore an invitation.

No one was really happy to be there, beyond the oblivious parties – the children. Though I saw a fierce desire in many of them to fight and sometimes they would be allowed. I guess that's why I stuck so closely to little Kelly and Jill; I couldn't bear it if something happened to them, as feisty as they were. And I knew they were older than they appeared, but they'd been coddled, indulged because their family had some royal status.

I would have spoiled them myself if they were mine, how sweet to have so many years of childhood. Having my own torn from me at such a young age, I thought… well, I don't know, but I found comfort in their presence. And they me, it seemed. There were more of his sisters there too – I had no idea just how many he had, but it seemed like a lot, a real lot – some a fair bit older, appearing more like Niall with silvery locks and glowing faces, some that appeared around my age, jolly and pregnant, and then some younger still who spent most of the day in training.

Several inquiries into where they spent most of their days when I first got there showed no progress; I had to sneak around and peek through windows to figure out what was going on, and that's what I surmised. A quick talk with the littlest sisters didn't turn up much either; I had to go to the source.

Finn's mother, so very regal it made the hairs of my arms stand up on end just looking at her, she was so surreal. I wondered how I ever thought of Finn as anything else, she was so otherworldly. They shared the same stoic face, though her features were delicate, elegant and the same bewildering green eyes that conveyed so much emotion it was a wonder I could draw my own away. Gran had taught me manners and yet I still found it hard to resist.

Her hair was dark as charcoal, a sooty, blackish-grey, but for one small streak of white at her temple, which she frequently tucked behind her ear when she began to worry. It often started with smoothing her skirt and then progressed to her fingertips playing with her hair; the girls did the same. I found myself thinking back, wondering if Finn had a similar penchant, but couldn't remember exactly.

And I had a great deal of time for observation, speculation, and consideration of the past… seeing as I wasn't allowed to do much else.

.

Once the subject was broached, her hand immediately went to her hair.

"War, not a pleasant time," she began cordially, keeping her voice steady as her fingers deftly twirled a strand of snow white.

"I shouldn't think so," I agreed, also attempting to keep my tone even, controlled. I held my hands in my lap; I didn't know what my emotional tell was, but I was trying my best to avoid it.

"Many of us are rather, well, put out I suppose you would say… that we can't stand with our families at this time. But we have other duties, as I'm sure you've seen."

Helplessly drawn to her eyes, I watched as they flickered softly from a brilliant green to a more muted shade. A lesser woman would be in tears; I could tell it was emotional for her to discuss. I made a move to get up, but she held out her hand, taking mine within it.

Her fingers curled around my hand and with her other hand, she reached around to pat the back of my hand gently. After a few pats, which appeared to be soothing to both of us, she continued.

"It wasn't always like this. We've been a mostly peaceful society; there was enough land for everyone. Now they argue about what the most prosperous lands are, but all fae lands are prosperous. It is the human world they argue over, that they yearn to control. I've no need for it, no need at all."

She dropped my hand suddenly and then politely folded hers in her lap, stretching subtly, composing herself.

_And that's why you sent your son to secure me and probably kill my great-grandfather, right? _I thought sceptically, not able to help myself.

"Present company excluded," she said with a sweet smile, one that echoed a thousand times over with charm. Like mother, like son.

"Thank you, I suppose."

"Don't suppose; you mean a great deal to this family. To Finn, you know."

She cocked her head to the side, watching me intently. I think to see if I'd give anything away.

When I didn't, or at least I think I didn't, she continued, "To my smallest girls as well, you give them strength and you keep their interest away from fighting. I am grateful for that. Little spitfires they are, much like their brother, oh very much so."

She laughed and the light began to creep back into her eyes. I smiled reassuringly. I was glad I was there for something at least.

"But the rest, oh Sookie, I don't know where we've gone wrong. I can hardly recognize them. Soldiers they are now; not my kin. Marching to the beat of a war drum, looking to get themselves killed over humans! And my babies, oh but to think, no I can't think it. I have to trust; we've got to have faith, you know? Train them well and wish for the best."

Reaching for my hand again, her eyes searched mine. Spooked a bit, I jumped backward and nearly knocked the chair over.

_Nice one Stackhouse._

Her eyes faded once more and she settled down, "No, I suppose you wouldn't no. Or care what happen to my family, not after what we've done to you." She looked down, cleverly shielding her eyes.

She was trying to stir me, throwing out bait left, right, and centre. I knew as much, but it was a part of myself I hadn't the capacity to control.

"You want to blame humans for this?" I noticed that I left myself out of that classification, but hadn't the time or worry to fix my blunder. That could be sorted out later.

"No, I know where the blame lies, blame your husband for his greed or your own son for his stupidity! Thinking I'd what, fall in love with him, give him Louisiana… like it belongs to me?"

I'd lost it; I knew I was ranting, but there was no stopping me. I stood up and paced.

"Shephard of Judea! What a… a… an absolutely ridiculous notion!"

Steam was likely pouring out my nostrils; my head felt like it was going to explode.

"If it were mine, I'd just give it to you. Hell, maybe it is! Maybe the whole country is! You got some papers I could sign? Something to stop **my** family from being killed, because as far as I know, yours is not the only one on the line here and I will not feel bad for something I. Did. Not. Start."

I circled back, wringing one hand within the other.

"And, I'll tell you something else…"

I stole a look at her then, she had a hand over her mouth, but I could still hear the slight chuckling.

"Something is… Funny?"

"No. Well, yes. I suppose."

Suppose. That word again. One more _suppose_ and I was going to throw myself off a cliff!

Sitting back down in the chair, I fumed. "Please, enlighten me."

She leaned forward, tentatively at first, and then when she realized I wasn't going to lash out, she placed a hand on each of my cheeks and gave me a soft kiss on the nose. It reminded me hopelessly of Finn once more, the green eyes, the soft ethereal peck.

"I know now why you're here. And I'm very pleased."

Another quick kiss on the nose and she stood up and walked off leisurely.

"Very pleased," she reiterated, the words carried softly in the breeze, barely above a whisper.

I held my head in my hands; I had no idea what had just happened between us, though it seemed she did and that only served to frustrate me more.

I went for a run through the fields and threw myself on the ground when I was dead tired, burying myself in a patch of daisies. Looking up at the sun, I backtracked, trying to think of exactly how I'd gotten myself into this mess.

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**Eric POV**

She could care less about her own neck, she'd proven that enough times. If I could only instill in her the slightest bit of self preservation… but she would not listen to reason, and I was forced to accept that.

Frustrating and yet respectable. And I longed for her visits, as much as I wished she would not take the risk. Maybe more so, considering that I let them continue.

"You'll get us both killed yet," was the way I started our conversation when she burst into my home an hour or two after midnight the day after our first meeting.

"Yes, well. You've survived quite well on your own for what a millenium now? And I just found out I can't die, so let's worry about something else, shall we?"

"Can't die?" I sputtered. I'd seen her gravely injured enough times to question that statement. My own blood had healed her.

"Apparently! I'm some sort of fairy or no, that mixed with something else. Fairy of the wood, or element. Look, I really don't know yet, okay? But I've been told I can't die."

"Yet I have seen…"

"Yes, Eric. I've felt death that closely too. I've no explanation. That's all I can give you."

"And when you know more?"

"You'll be the first to know. If you're still alive that is; I might well outlive you."

She laughed; it was a beautiful sound. The night before had been over so fast, not rushed, but there was a need, such that we weren't our usual selves. I found that I greatly missed her laughter. I closed the gap between us and took her into my arms.

"That would be… interesting," I replied, considering the irony, though I had no desire to perish in the near future. "And do you mean to tell me where you are all through the day, for I know you are not in Bon Temps or with your relations, fae or otherwise."

"It's day now Eric! Did you know? Everything is turned around there, day is night, night is day, though they can also change it at apparent will. I'm not sure I know how much time has even passed. Has it been one day since I've seen you?"

Sookie looked tired in that moment; I hadn't seen it the day before. I was too involved, too caught up in her, that I hadn't considered her well being.

"Are you being mistreated?" I scowled; I wouldn't let that happen, no matter what she said about having to go back.

"What? No. no."

_Good. One question down, now if she would just answer the others._

"I'm with Finn's family and some other people I think. I kind of keep to myself and no one minds, but no, no one has hurt me. Not directly anyway. I don't want to be there though, cooped up like a chicken heading to slaughter."

"Do you think they are using you in that way, to be used as a sacrifice?"

"No, bad analogy. I just don't like being away from home. I feel… trapped Eric. Though I guess I felt trapped before I left too. There is no winning here; I can feel it, no matter what the outcome."

She became limp in my arms; I did not doubt her body meant to crumple to the floor had I not been holding her. I carried her over to the sofa, and sat down. I had been careful to ensure all the windows were blocked before she visited this time. I knew there was a price on her head and she would not be found out in my residence, not if I had anything to say about it.

"Can I get you a drink, something to eat?" I offered when she stirred.

"No." A pause. "No, thank you. Can we just, stay like this for a while?"

"Yes," I said softly, nestling my cheek against the pile of golden locks atop her head.

A few moments passed in quiet, shared contemplation when I felt a small thump against my chest, and then another, slightly more forced. She appeared to be punching me in the gut, but didn't have much leverage for it to make any real impact.

I chuckled, letting the sound of it reverberate through my chest; I knew she liked that.

"What's all this then?" I inquired.

"High handed jerk," she replied, her voice growing louder as she spoke.

Laughing again, we shook together as I held her, barely able to compose myself and ask what it was I'd done this time.

Turning in my lap, she pointed her finger in my face and I opened my mouth slightly, making a motion to bite it if she got any closer. She moved her tiny finger lower until it was poking me in the chest.

"What do you mean by calling me your wife anyway?"

_Oh, __**that**__. Yes, we had not cleared up that matter. _

"It is a rather clever story lover," I replied with a grin.

She rolled her eyes.

"I have not gotten to the amusing part yet."

"I doubt I'll find it funny, but go ahead," she said with a small wave of the hand.

I expected that was encouragement to continue.

.

After my story was complete, she continued to stare at me. I could see the wheels of her head turning, though I wasn't sure if she was likely to bolt or discuss the matter some more.

"And this can be reversed?"

"Why?" I couldn't stop myself asking. I had expected resistence, but…

"I just want to know, okay?"

"Not for the time being it is not."

"Because that's the way it really is or because that's what _you_ want?"

"I should think it would be more than agreeable to both parties." I accompanied the statement with a wink, to remind her of all the time we had spent together where my presence had not been cause for her to _complain_.

"Make no mistake that I want you for my own Sookie, but I will not trick you. And I know you want me as well."

She opened her mouth to speak and wiggled around on my lap, trying to straighten up.

I held her fast, in place, so we were eye to eye. I wanted to watch the realization come to her, then watch it cloud her eyes with lust. So far this evening had not been going as I had hoped. _Answers (from her) then to the bedroom._ That was how it was supposed to be.

"Now don't fuss. I may have taken a step out of turn, but this is where we were to end up. Like it or not right _now_; I am assured you will come to like it. You are secure with me. I can protect you. And when it comes time for bartering for your services…"

Her mouth dropped open and I gently lifted her jaw with my thumb and gave her a soft kiss.

"… well, _you_ will have more of a say, than if you did not have me. So, you will have me."

"For my good?" she questioned with a snort.

"Yes."

"If you think I'm even falling for that Eric Northman, you've got another thing com…"

_No use talking anymore._ I placed my lips firmly against hers once more and her hands immediately went to my hair, bundling it up in her fingers and tugging – gentle enough that I knew we were okay in that moment and hard enough that I knew our discussion wasn't over.

But then, it never was. Not with Sookie.

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A/N Thank you for reading and for your reviews, they mean the world to me. The next update will likely be this weekend. :) A bit more with Eric, a bit more in the fae world and some updates on the war.


	37. Snow Angels and Surprises

Another small chapter, a bit of fluff that came to me as I was trying to decide what to write next.

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**Sookie POV**

Staring out the window, I watched the snow pile up on the hills. It had started snowing the night before in what I now called my make-believe world. A whole season had passed since I'd been left there and life was going on in my real world… without me. Eric kept me as updated as he could without giving too much away; it was better no one knew where I was or why I was gone, and I guess in a way it was better I didn't know about them either.

My brother's wife, Crystal, had been murdered. That was the most recent news. I wasn't her biggest fan and they weren't really even together anymore, but I cried nonetheless as Eric held me. It had something to do with me; I knew it. I was responsible for another life.

_How many more? _The thought hung in the air without an answer.

I started to wonder what place was left for me now that I knew I was _different_, well, even more different than before; hearing people's thoughts paled in comparison. I wondered how my friends in Bon Temps would treat me as they cradled grandchildren on their lap and I ran around, ageless with a vampire for a husband.

My eyes drifted back to the snow covering everything in the fields that had been green and lush just the day before. Snow crystals clung to the glass, as if etching their beautiful patterns on the surface. I pressed a finger against the glass and they melted away one by one, dripping into each other and forming a tiny puddle in the snow on the sill.

The whiteness reminded me of my mother and how I sorely wished we had more time together, and then it reminded me of Finn.

_What a mess._

I hadn't seen him in months; hadn't expected to in a way since he promised we'd never see each other again, but it felt odd to know that, so I hadn't really accepted it just yet. I didn't put much thought into it or I tried really hard not to. He'd saved Amelia and Jason along the way, from the things I'd heard and I was grateful for that. I had written him probably a dozen letters, though I never sent one, not that I knew where to send them anyway.

His mother, Aine, or Anya as many referred to her, would have known I guessed, but I kept my distance since I'd shouted at her. Whenever I saw her, usually at meals or passing by when I'd walk through the fields, she would smile at me and her eyes would sparkle, as if she had a secret. I'd have driven myself crazy trying to figure it out if I didn't have the distraction of the girls and of course Eric, though no one knew about that.

I had a secret of my own. It was enough for me to revel in that.

And revel we did, time spent with Eric was more magical than the fairy world I spent most of my time in. Things progressed naturally, but then we'd almost always been at ease together, even from the start, back when I was with Bill. It felt like a lifetime ago.

There was a knock at my door.

Gathering up my robe from the bed, I slipped it quickly over my shoulders and tied it at the waist.

"Yes?" I said as I opened the door and peeked into the hallway.

From under a pile of quilted fabric came two little squeaks, "You wanna play?" they asked, voices intertwined as the sentence came out.

Relieving them of the load they carried - winter coat, thick overalls, tangled scarves, and wooly mittens – they strolled in and jumped up on the bed, wearing similarly thick outfits.

"You want me to put this on?" I asked, holding back a smile.

"Yep!"

"Unless you want to freeze your niblets off."

I had to laugh; I was pretty sure they'd picked that one up from me.

"Do you know what niblets are?"

"Uhh," Kelly started.

"No, we dunna," Jill finished.

"Little corn kernels. Remember what Finn made popcorn out of?" I made a silly face and they joined me in laughter remembering.

"What a funny way to make corn!"

"But it sure tasted nice."

"Sure does," I agreed.

"We can ask mom or maybe Brigit; they'd make us some."

Gripping the edge of the comforter on the bed, I nodded my head, then I said, "No, you know what you really should have after you've played in the snow?"

Two heads popped up from of the sea of blankets and winter clothes and looked at me inquisitively, "what?"

I shook the comforter and they tumbled back and forth laughing, "Sookie… sookie, what, what do you have?"

"Hot cocoa!" I exclaimed as I jumped up on the bed, reaching out with a hand for each to make sure they didn't fall off.

I didn't know much about it really, having grown up in Louisiana, but movies and TV had taught me that a good cup of Swiss Miss is what the situation called for.

Holding onto my arms, they sat up once more, a bit awkwardly in their multiple layers of clothes.

"I think my niblets are overheating, not freezing," Jill declared, scratching at the thick layer of fabric near her foot.

"We better go outside then. Are there boots downstairs?"

They shrugged.

When I'd finished getting dressed, we waddled through the hallways and downstairs like a troupe of penguins. There were indeed boots waiting for us by the side door off the kitchen. I mentioned to Brigit, one of the cooks, on the way out that we would be interested in hot cocoa when we came back in. Her chortle followed us out the door; she was still amused when I'd ask for things in advance as she could produce near anything within a few seconds magically.

.

After several hours of running/falling up and down hills, building forts, and making snow angels, I determined that I was the only one freezing any thing off – the girls could have happily stayed out there for hours more.

Teeth chattering, I made promises to go outside with them again the next day. I was also wary of the time; I only had a couple hours to make excuses and retire to my room for the evening so I could make it to Eric's at our agreed upon time. He had been very busy at Fangtasia and it had been three days since I'd seen him last; I was anxious to go.

However, plans quickly changed when over our mugs of Swiss Miss (bless Brigit's heart), the girls asked if I wouldn't mind watching The Sound of Music with them. I'd still have half an hour to clean up and make it to Eric's, I calculated. Of course that wasn't factoring in two relative six year olds; I should have known better.

.

"What have they got you doing over there?" Eric asked with a chuckle, taking in my very pink, very floral pajamas. Suitable for a girl's night in; they weren't exactly what I had planned to wear that evening.

"Never you mind," I replied, smiling, "why, don't you like them? I can leave and come back later, you know." I took a step backward.

He took two strides toward me, closing the distance between us with ease, pulled me close to him and breathed in my scent.

"You even _smell_ of flowers lover."

Another sniff.

"And trees," he pulled back, and then leaned in close for a final inspection. "And snow," he concluded, eyes wide. "You smell like home."

I gave him a puzzled look.

"My home, lover. You smell like a Sweden."

"Don't think I've ever been told I smell like a country before. Think we could bottle this and make some money Eric?"

He chuckled and swung us around in a circle, clutching me by the waist.

"Perhaps we could. There are other pressing matters at the moment." He set me back down on my feet.

My face fell. _What now?_

Then I began to laugh as he pressed himself hard up against me.

_Oh!_

He scooped me up and brought me to bed.

.

Eric didn't mention my scent again that evening and while I was glad, I felt a bit awkward about it. Not having planned to keep secrets from him, I still found myself happiest to tell him as little about my life as possible. That wasn't normal, or at least it didn't feel normal. But when we were together, everything else fell away. I had myself convinced I didn't want to ruin our time together with things that didn't matter, but deep down, I know they did.

It did matter that I had an attachment to the littlest residents of the make-believe world, that I'd allowed myself to get close to them, that I would miss them when I left. That part of me _didn't want_ to leave.

_Shit._

That hadn't occurred to me previously. And that was precisely why I chose not to think about it most days, for fear of ending up with conclusions like that. I was happy. I had a family, err… roundabouts, that accepted me for what and who I was and I felt at peace around them, even the people I didn't talk to that frequently. While I had some sense of their feelings, I didn't hear their voices shouting at me in my mind. The land I so often referred to as my prison was also a sanctuary.

"I've got to go Eric."

"Now?"

His hair swung in front of his face as he sat up and I near melted. Pushing the strands back before he could get to them, I crawled into his lap. Stroking his hair, I gazed into his face lovingly. Life with Eric would never be as easy as it was then, in that moment. Yet the war wouldn't last forever and I did not want it to either. But I couldn't deny the rare opportunity we had – uninterrupted time together, a precious commodity. Before then, we were all too often torn away from each other, at the mercy of someone or another, most recently the King of Nevada.

_Too many questions._

I had too many questions and it was still too early to ask them; they were just bubbling at the surface and if I stayed, they'd pop out raw and completely un-thought-through. I had enough sense to hold it inside, though I was sure Eric knew something was up.

"They'll be expecting me at dinner. I plum forgot about that. I was in such a rush to get here, I forgot to make an excuse."

He tilted his head to the side in curiosity. I could tell he didn't want to hold me up if we might be caught and I could also tell he had half a mind to wallop me for not planning carefully. It had been one of the things we talked about… to death in my opinion.

Torn between two minds, he finally said, "All right. I'll see you in seven day's time. I will be in Nevada, and before you can get a word in, no. It is not safe for you there. Do _not_ try it. Sookie."

"Have I caused you much trouble…"

"You always do lover," he interrupted with a good-spirited laugh.

"With Felipe, I mean."

"No more than usual. He's suspicious, but I've no idea where you are. No one does."

He winked and then said goodbye with a searing kiss. My legs were all wobbly and I wasn't sure I'd make it back in one piece.

Eric helped me to stand and then gave my bum a small push. "Go on then."

And off I went, stumbling back to where I came from in my girly pink pajamas.

.

The first thing I heard when I re-entered my room was racing down the hallway; the door was wide open and I clutched my chest with my hand; my heart was racing. Had someone seen me reappear? Worse yet, had they seen me disappear hours earlier?

I shuffled around the room, unsure of what to do when Jill and Kelly barrelled in through the doorway.

"There you are!"

"I told you she would give up."

"No, we found her here rightly."

"But we checked this room already!" Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Had you given up then?"

Unaware of what I should say exactly, I just nodded. It was a slow, simple gesture that I was hoping would scrape me by …

"Ha! Told you."

After a few tongues were stuck out, my breath was starting to come back to me, my heart slowing.

_It isn't all that bad,_ I repeated in my head… over and over.

"Why are you still in your bed clothes?"

The girls were dressed in proper dresses for dinner, their hair impeccably tied back with ribbons.

"Oh, I, was thinking of going to bed early. After the movie, I was feeling pretty sleepy." I gave a great, big yawn for emphasis.

"You're tired a lot you know Sookie?"

"It gets that way as you get older," I replied.

"I've got sisters over two thousand and they don't sleep as much as you do!" Kelly laughed and grabbed for my hand.

"Doesna matter," Jill piped in, "tonight Brigit made popped corn _and_ you've got a visitor downstairs."

_A visitor?? That was the __**last**__ bit of news?_

"I do?"

"Yep! And he's mighty fine; at least that's what Colleen said. I don't know too much about boys."

Colleen was one of the girls' sisters, and a very pregnant one at that. I had a feeling she knew _too much_ about boys, but that was neither here nor there in the moment.

"Well, let's not keep him, umm, waiting," I said, trying to sound confident about the situation, like I had any clue what was going on.

"Dressed like that?"

"With no ribbons in yer hair?"

_Oh, stuff it! Still in my foofy pajamas._

"That's okay, I'll be down in a few; I'll just get dressed and…" I started, indicating the bathroom door.

"Why do you do everything the slow way?" Kelly inquired.

"I don't know of any other," I replied honestly to which Jill shook a little finger at me.

Something felt… different. I turned quickly and caught myself in the mirror. My hair was pinned up in curls, some escaping to hang around my face, and braided in were at least a dozen ribbons of maroon and deep rose. And I was wearing a dress to match, a little more exuberant than I would have normally gone for, but it was lovely and it matched what the girls were wearing to a T. The only differences being theirs were in shades of plum and lavender.

"Thank you. That comes in very handy sometimes, does it not?"

"Yeah, it works. Though I still like it when momma or Finn twist in the ribbons themselves."

I nodded my head politely; I agreed wholeheartedly. Magic didn't much make up for human or other, for lack of a better word, contact.

"Come on then, let's go see who is here and better yet, see if we can sneak some popcorn before dinner?" _Lying through my teeth…_

My little co-conspirators grasped my hands with zeal and we snuck down to the kitchen.

I was more than a little worried about who I would find downstairs; I had a few guesses, none of them particularly appealing.

_Only time will tell_, I thought, _Only time_. And we were quickly running out of it as the kitchen door was a mere five feet away.


	38. Bar Owners and Exciting Prospects

**A/N** Passages from earlier chapters will come in handy here:  
sorry for the long time between updates O_O lol if you've got an insanely good memory you can skip to where it says **Sookie POV**

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**From Chapter 18: **

_Sookie was meeting Claudine at a club called Jack's where Claudine wanted to have her engagement party. Yes, I never did get to the engagement party. LOL I wanted to pick up the pace and lost it somewhere in the process. _

When I realized I had walked past the bar three times, I felt silly. The window did say "Jack's," how did I miss it? 

City establishments were still quite foreign to me, though I couldn't help but feel I should have known Claudine's other favorite restaurant would be another 'hole in the wall.' I should have been looking more intently; of course it didn't help that many of the buildings went without numbers. 

Smiling, I prepared myself to be extremely nice to the woman I was about to meet – I was over 20 minutes late. 

Reaching for the door, I steadied my mind – Finn was still playing on repeat in my head and I wasn't about to blush myself silly in front of this woman. 

I had enough close calls earlier at Merlotte's. Cleverly, I positioned myself close to the grill whenever I had a free moment, talking with the new short order cook about absolute nonsense – I don't remember a word of what I said but it excused my rosy cheeks. 

Gripping the large brass door handle, I had just made the decision to pull when the door came flying open of its own accord. 

.

"Sorry," I said from my new spot on the pavement, rubbing my sore right hip. 

"Why should you apologize?" the man asked. 

Looking up at him, I realized he was right. I was the one sitting on the sidewalk after being thrown back a few feet. He was just standing there, looking at me strangely, completely uninjured. 

"Right," I muttered, noting that he had not ventured forth an apology and was not making any attempt to help me up. _City manners!_ I thought as I glared at him. 

His confidence unwavering, he took two short strides toward me and offered me a hand. 

"Thanks," I said as I took his hand. 

He placed his other hand under my elbow to guide me up. 

"It's not every day one runs into a real life damsel in distress," he chuckled.

"I assure you sir, I am no such thing. Now if you'll excuse me, I am very late for an appointment," I said honestly, not intending to sound rude.

"In there?" he questioned pointing to the door he had just walked out of, his face hinting at a smile. 

"Yes," I replied simply. _Why else would I have been holding onto the door?_

"Well, you better get going then," he said over his shoulder, his grey eyes glinting with mischief in the sunlight, as he walked away. 

"Right…" I muttered again under my breath as I reached for the door, this time watching through the glass for patrons on the other side as I opened it.

and from **Chapter 21: **

_Sookie had been shopping and went out with Amelia for drinks at the club she had visited with Claudine._

An hour later, we were shimmying and shaking, mostly dancing with each other, men occasionally trying to ease their way between us. It was all in good fun, and fortunately, Amelia was good at scaring away anyone who got handsy. 

Until one man, who had clearly had too much to drink, kept pawing at my skirt. 

"I don't think so," I said boldly, stepping away from him toward Amelia, who had gone to the bar to get us some club sodas. 

He refused to let up. 

"Amelia?" I called out, but she was still too far away. 

I was just about to sock him one right in the jaw, when someone came along and did it for me. 

"You were saying?" he said. _'about not being a damsel in distress,' _his mind continued.

"Yes, well, it's nice to see that this time you've chosen someone deserving to knock on their ass."

"You didn't deserve it?" he asked casually, tucking a long strand of blonde hair behind his ear. 

"No."

"I guess I owe you an apology then?"

"Not really. I couldn't care less."

"Interesting," he said before hoisting the drunken man up off the floor and disappearing into the crowd. 

.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" Amelia asked. 

A question one always asks expecting the answer to be 'no.'

"Yes."

"What?"

"Some drunk guy wouldn't listen when I said no. Don't worry, he's gone now."

"Well that's good," she said, clinking her glass against mine. 

"I think maybe it's time to go," I said as I sipped my drink.

**

* * *

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**Sookie POV**

We came to a dead stop just outside the large double doors of the main kitchen. Several little tugs let me know they were still keen to sneak in and grab popcorn before dinner, but I heard voices inside and held up a hand, a symbolic yellow light – a man and what sounded like a four of five women were talking, two sounded vaguely like the cooks Brigit and Kerry… and another was clearly Colleen, giggling madly over something that probably wasn't funny.

To save myself saying something rude in front of the girls, I shrugged slightly and made a motion that indicated the people inside would hinder our efforts; we would have to try again later.

Not fussed, they looked to me for instruction on what to do instead. I considered using them as an excuse to avoid my unexpected visitor.

As the ringleader of our little group, I was pretty sure I could come up with something convincing, but that really only pushed back the inevitable.

"I'll meet you in the dining hall, okay girls?"

"Sure."

"Okay."

And they skipped off down the hall unphased. In contrast, my palms were growing clammy and my stomach was dancing a twisty little jig. It wasn't so much the possibility of someone I didn't know, but rather the news they might carry that made me anxious.

_Buck up Stackhouse; you've dealt with much worse. I think. _

I must have said some portion of that outloud, because before I knew it the kitchen went dead quiet and the door opened… slowly and a head creeped around, looking cautiously.

"Oh, you. But what in heavens, I mean why? What have you got to do with all this?"

He slipped through the doorway and reached for my arm, placing it within his own.

"Didn't want to knock you over this time."

_How kind of him_, I thought remembering how sore my bum was after falling on the pavement outside of his club.

"Not that last time was on purpose!" He ammended quickly, running a hand through his hair. "Is there anywhere we can speak without a crowd?" He asked, pointing toward the kitchen where the women's voices broke out in boisterous laughter once more.

"Uhh, we could go to the library? Usually no one is in there just before dinner."

"Right then; lead the way."

And I did, all the while trying to understand why the owner of a bar in Monroe had decided to visit me in fairyland.

"Niall sent me," he said as soon as the door was shut behind us.

"Okay... why?"

"Why did he send me or why did I come?"

"Either or I guess," I replied, not really seeing much difference between the two questions.

"Niall just recently learned of your whereabouts and couldn't come himself."

_And?_

He paused awkwardly. _Surely a bar owner was used to making more conversation than this?_

He looked around for a while, spotting two large chairs over by the fireplace.

"Would you uh, like to sit down?"

_Apparently not on the conversation front._

"Sure, thank you."

I cozied up on the chair, pulling my legs up. It grew cold in this part of the house at night; I had a stray thought wishing I had a blanket, but before I could say anything along that line, which I honestly hadn't planned to anyway, not with a stranger, a roaring fire started in the fireplace, licking at the stone above.

"Impressive, where is the switch?"

In all my time perusing the library, I hadn't realized the fireplace was run by gas; I usually just brought a blanket.

He tilted his head and looked at me, confused for a second.

"Oh, that? Can't you… uh, nevermind. Starting fires is something I needed along the way; I don't do much else in the way of parlour tricks."

"You're a fairy?"

"Yes," but the look on his face gave away what he was thinking – _not by choice_.

_Peculiar_, I thought. _Every fairy I've met thus far seems quite pleased with their position in the world._ Actually pleased is quite a tame description; if nothing else, the current status war was proof enough of that.

"Doesn't really explain why you're here," I offered gently.

"No, I suppose not," he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Niall couldn't spare anyone; his hands are full. Claudine mentioned as much to me and you seemed nice enough; I offered to keep an eye on you."

"To watch me?" I eyed him sceptically.

"Not, not like that. I'm just here to make sure you're safe, that's all."

"As you can see, I am. Is that enough to report back?"

"I suspect that's what you'd say if you were threatened as well, no?" A blonde eyebrow quirked up as he asked.

_Gaining some confidence, I see._

"I guess. How long are you planning on staying?"

"As long as you're here, I'm here."

"Don't you have a bar to run?"

"Don't you?"

"I don't own it."

"My bar doesn't really need me. From what I've heard, yours does."

"You've spoken with Sam?"

"Claudine has, when you first went missing."

"How is he?"

"Managing, though he's worried about you. It seems you're very well liked where you're from."

I snorted.

"You don't agree?" He half smiled.

I held up a hand, choking back a laugh. It wasn't that; I was just surprised. I spent my life as the odd one out, thinking I never really fit in the puzzle, but they missed me just the same.

_I'll be._

"And she?"

"Who, oh Claudine? Managing."

_Who did my great-grandfather send me? The least talkative fairy he could scrounge up?_

He stretched out his legs before continuing, "She's well; alive. Callum is with her; they're both with Niall. Holding down the fort so to speak."

_Sure, so to speak…_

"She's not pregnant then?"

He coughed, clearing his throat.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Someone mentioned that she might be is all," I replied, keeping it casual.

"I suspect she is, early stages yet, no need to worry."

"And Niall knows?"

"Maybe; I didn't discuss it with him. It's dinner time now, I believe? Perhaps we should head back."

"Yeah, sure," I said tentatively, accepting his arm again when he offered it.

"You look lovely, by the way. I forgot to say that earlier."

"Oh… really? Thank you." I swept an errant curl back away from my face; I had forgotten the girls got me all gussied up and all the sudden I started to feel very conscious of it.

I had just gotten up the courage to ask him if he had spoken with or knew Finn when we found ourselves front and center in the dining room. I was unsure of whether to take my usual seat, at the end of the table by Kelly and Jill, or find an open spot for two.

Luckily the decision was taken out of my hands; at almost the same time Kelly waved toward me and Colleen toward Jack. He looked at me with wide eyes and I just shrugged, trying not to laugh.

Our eyes met a few times over dinner and we had a bit of a mime game going – cutting throats, slashing wrists, a few mock nooses; I nearly laughed out loud when he pretended to poke himselves in the eye with his dessert fork. A bit morbid for dinner, but I think it helped him through. I was quite content with my usual company, but he looked very out of his depths with women fawning at him from all directions.

_It would surely make things that much more entertaining_, I thought as I excused myself from the table, taking the girl's off to bed.

.

Back into frilly pajamas, we settled into our routine – a quick race around the third floor to tucker them out, two books, and a continuation of our "made up" story. I'd inadvertantly started to tell them about Eric disguised as 'Prince Elwes' and they loved it so much, it had seemed natural to continue. Our shared laughter as I told them thinly veiled tales of my life was better therapy than money could ever buy.

I was halfway to sleep when there was a noise by the door, Jack. I guess he was serious when he said he was going to keep an eye on me.

_This is going to get old fast._

"Walk you to your room Miss? Or are we bunking in here tonight?"

"You… we… you don't think, you're staying with me?"

"No, just ruffling your feathers. Figured you deserved as much for abandoning me at dinner."

"Didn't realize I was supposed to be _watching you_."

"How about we watch out for each other?" He countered.

Ushering him into the hallway, I whispered, "And you think that's necessary? It seems relatively safe here."

He leaned in to whisper in my ear, so close that I could feel his breath warming my cheek, "Perhaps." Then leaned back, letting a smile take over his whole face.

"I see how it is. You know I can see myself to bed just fine thank you. I have been long enough!" I spun on my heel and headed toward my room.

"No, Sookie, look, wait up. I apologize. I'm not great with people."

I shrugged, turning back around.

"Human or otherwise. Don't ask me why I own a bar; I honestly don't know."

"Don't worry, I won't; I _honestly_ don't care."

Any hint of friendliness in his eyes that had grown throughout the evening left in a big woosh. I guess I did care, a _little_.

I didn't have that many friends that I could really afford to alienate someone, not someone sent from the _good side_, whatever that meant. I wasn't exactly being tortured where I was and besides the one brother of Finn's who was particularly unsavory… I shuddered just remembering that night… I hadn't met anyone evil.

Unlikeable, though? Sure. There were a few of those, mostly the obnoxious ones who you just couldn't seem to please. The high and mighty types, you know what I mean. It seemed odd to me because I loved Kelly and Jill and I had some semblance of respect for Finn's mother though we kept our distance… I don't know – I guess at some point in your life your parents are no longer responsible for the way you behave.

Personally, I had no idea what my father would think of me and while I'd only recently _met_ my mother and she seemed pleasant enough, I couldn't be sure she would agree with everything I'd done in my life, the way I treated every person I came into contact with. Hell, even I wasn't happy with myself half the time in hindsight.

But then… I hadn't met any of the other men in the family, not really. I met Callum and he seemed okay, but not Finn's father – he could have been a madman for all that I knew. And if he had more brothers like the one who came after Eric and I, well… let's just say I wouldn't have had any issues driving an iron blade into them.

_Actually, wish I had one handy, just in case._ _Maybe I could pick up something from Eric? _Somehow I doubted there was much iron available in the house.

_So then, no evil here, no threat from Jack,_ where did that leave me? Besides keeping a promise to Finn.

Well, there was Eric too. He _encouraged_ me to stay as well. Men! You'd think I'd proved myself after all we'd been through, but still they wanted me to sit in place and wait for them. _Useless, entirely useless._ And I hated feeling useless.

The trouble remained, I didn't know what I could do anyway. And being told over and over again that I would only endanger those I cared about, well it sunk in, kind of.

Had I any idea that I could actually do something; I'd have probably jumped ship. As it was, I kept looking for opportunities.

All I did know, mostly from Eric, was that there _was_ a madman out there, and he wasn't part of Finn's family or entourage – someone named Breandan with followers who didn't much like humans at all. Didn't care much for vampires either, Eric said. Wanted to seal up the fae world forever from outsiders; thought the only way to happiness and prosperity was isolation not dilution. Pity that path had to be exacted through violence, right? What a joke!

Given an opportunity, he lashed out. I hardly doubted it would change even if he did get what he wanted. You couldn't please people like that; it's why they picked fights they knew would be near impossible to end.

Momentarily forgetting where I was, I scoffed loudly, thoroughly annoyed at where my train of thought had landed.

We were a few steps away from my door, and I had enough sense to apologize.

"Sorry, for that, just thinking is all. And sorry for before as well Jack. It's not that I don't care; I'm just… confused is all. I really don't understand what is going on."

He released my arm when we reached my room; I hadn't even noticed when he'd picked it back up again. Somewhere on our path through the old house, I guessed.

"It's okay. I understand. And if it's not too much trouble, do you think you could call me Nicholas while we're here?"

_Odd. _

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll… I'll explain it later; I promise. Pretty tired at the moment though, you know after that dinner…" He shot me a half-hearted smile. "And it took a long time to find you, quite tucked away this place is, even when you know what you're looking for."

He leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"See you at breakfast?"

"Not if Colleen finds you first," I replied.

He dramatically feigned a heart attack as he walked off and I found myself laughing as I closed the door and got ready for sleep.

.

**Eric POV**

_Another meeting._

I massaged my brow in boredom, listening to another businessman describe "an exciting new opportunity in Las Vegas" from the head of a very large, mahogany table in an overimportant office suite. What in the heavens it had to do with my territory in Louisiana… well, I had no idea.

The King was certainly after something though, so I did my best to follow blindly or at least give the appearance of it. I did not need any more trouble on my hands.

"Exciting prospect, don't you think?" said the King, accompanying the words with a swift pat on the shoulder.

I had fallen into a daze; we were the only ones left in the room.

"Yes, certainly," I replied in confirmation, stroking my chin lazily, trying to stir up any recollection of what had happened in the past two hours.

I had flown from Shreveport straight to Las Vegas after being with Sookie and kept in meetings every evening for four nights. I was quick to miss her and the novelty of Las Vegas was already wearing on me; I wanted to go home.

"Have you heard any news of Miss Stackhouse's whereabouts?"

_He had asked me the same question every night thus far._

"No," I replied, keeping my face impassive.

"Seems strange... No, nevermind."

I raised an eyebrow. I was reasonably sure this development wouldn't lead to conversation any better than our previous discussions, but at least it was something different.

I bit.

"And, what's that?"

"That your wife go missing and you sit in meetings, distracted, yes, I can tell. But if I were you, this would be the last place I would desire to be."

_Idiot. He had requested my presence here himself._

"I've people looking for her. Nothing has turned up," I stated cooly, fighting to keep my voice even, impartial.

"Bill Compton, no?"

"Yes," I agreed.

Truth was I had not asked Bill to search for her, though he was most likely the best equipped for the task… had I real need. Of course, neither he or the King knew that she was rarely anywhere a vampire could go.

But there was not much I could have done to stop him. I was quite sure part of Bill wanted to die, not in vain, but gallantly on her behalf. He was a man with something to prove, even if he thought he did not. He was quickly on the way to that end anyway.

I had given up fighting with Bill; Sookie was no longer an issue between us, but rather a completely settled case in my opinion.

And his life was of no consequence to me. Meddling in fairy wars was a plot for fools. I'd have no part in it.

_Well, not now._

I had gone a bit mad the first week of her disappearance; it had been my residence she left from and I held the only clue. And I did all I could – contacting anyone and everyone, calling on old favors, putting my trust in unsavory sorts… all of it to no avail.

And in the end, she came back to _me_. A most pleasant outcome; one I'd not predicted myself.

_Let him ask whatever he wants_, I thought of the King. _It isn't going to get him anywhere._

"Are you giving me permission to leave then?" I asked shrewdly when he didn't respond to my answer.

"No. We have business to conduct."

He did; I didn't - nothing more than being held under his thumb at any rate.

"I will see you tomorrow evening then," I said, pushing back the chair to excuse myself.

"Eric?"

"Yes, your highness?"

"It's treason, you know."

I blinked innocently.

"If you're harbouring the girl when we have need for her, when we have a contract," his voice got louder; he was losing his patience.

And so was I. _If I had __**my wife**__ at home; I'd hardly be here listening to this drivel_, I thought, smiling pleasantly as alternatives sprung to mind.

"I assure you sir, _my wife_ is _not_ in my custody. You would know about it if she were."

"I would very much like to believe that Northman. Good evening." And with that, he left the room.

Walking back to my own hotel room, I nodded at each were and vampire guard in the hallway; I was under relatively heavy "protection" (surveillance) and could only hope that Sookie kept her word and did not show up in the next few days.

I fell asleep mulling over excuses, stories that would not bring about the death of either of us… or at the least, delay questioning.

With Sookie, one had to be more than prepared.

.

.

**A/N** Thank you to everyone; it's been lovely to be welcomed back so graciously and your thoughts very much help me to guide this story and work on becoming a better writer, so thank you for those as well!


	39. A Fortress

A passage from an earlier chapter I thought would come in handy since it's been a while. (**Chapter 27**) If you've got a crazy good memory, skip to **Finn POV**. ;)

* * *

Between Sookie + Eric

"Usurp, huh? Is that the term Niall used?"

"No, that word was mine, though in a round about way he said the same thing."

"You do know what usurp means?"

"Yes!" I said indignantly.

He chuckled and looked at me with interest.

"Go on then."

"It means to take something when you don't have the right to it."

"Yes, that is correct. Therefore, I am curious as to why you used it the manner you did. Would you not agree that it was Niall who obtained the position by inappropriate means in the first place? Henceforth, those claiming it may well be within their right to do so."

"What?"

I was flabbergasted; I had no idea what he was saying.

"I see he hasn't told you how he came to be a fairy prince."

"No? I assumed it was just like every other prince, fairy or not – genetic luck."

"You would be wrong to make that assumption Sookie."

"Fairies aren't born with titles?"

"Some are… others sequester them through forceful manipulation."

"What are you trying to insinuate?"

"Niall killed the rightful fairy king and queen of North America and all those loyal to them over five centuries ago. There were surviving members of the royal family, but they were mere children at the time; I am unsure of where they are now."

"He _killed_ them? Just to take over the throne? Why? Why would he do that?" I asked in utter disbelief.

"He had his reasons."

"You don't know them?"

"I wasn't living in North America at the time; the situation didn't really affect me."

* * *

.

**Finn POV**

"More like this," I said gently, lifting my elbow higher – a bit dramatically really, but it seemed to get the point across.

"Yeah, that's it," I said approvingly, watching him raise the blade, "then the follow through… perfect. Head would come clean off like that."

I watched his eyes bug out as he lowered the weapon. He wiped a thin layer of sweat from his brow, pushing sandy blonde hair away from his eyes. We had been practicing for near on four hours and he was looking tired. However, it was a result of his insistence we were there and battles were rarely cut short due to exhaustion, so we continued.

_Not being prepared was akin to having a death wish_, I reminded myself as my own muscles began to twinge under the weight of the heavy blade. And it was important for his sake or maybe more so my affections for his sister, that Jason Stackhouse not die.

.

**Eric POV**

The remaining days of my trip were spent in discussion with seven other area sheriffs under Felipe's rule and a handful of second in commands. It seems I was the only one not given the option of whom to send; not that I'd have wished such boredom upon Pam, but I was interested to know what Felipe meant by it.

He had not inquired about Sookie again after our _little chat_, and while I found it peculiar, I did not press the issue knowing I'd be leaving soon enough.

Still quite aware of how closely I was being watched… with little doubt that my phone calls were being recorded, I kept any conversations with Pam brief.

_Bar. Area Residents. Sookie._ I mixed it up each night, and if Pam seemed curious about my tone, she didn't show it. After all, I had not told her about Sookie. It was probably the only thing I kept from Pam, and I didn't make the decision lightly. It was danger enough to her as it was for I told Sookie to seek out Pam if she were in need that week.

There was no doubt in my mind she would do what she could for Sookie if it came to that, caught off guard or not… though I said prayers to gods long forgotten that such a situation would not come to be.

_Better I carry this one on my own._

.

Returning to Fangtasia, I found my desk once again in order – arranged neatly, the dented stapler and hole-punching device assuming their previous positions.

Testing them out, I found them both to be malfunctioning.

_A lovely bit of comedy from my child_, of that I was sure.

And just as I thought it, she appeared in the doorway with a wicked smile on her lips.

"Any news?" I asked, swiftly depositing the unusable metal office tools into the bin.

"Of what? The bar? The area residents? Or Sookie perhaps?" she replied wryly.

"Sookie first, we'll have time for the rest later." Giving her the answer she most expected to hear.

"Right. I was inclined to believe it was not safe to talk of such matters while you were away, so begging your forgiveness, this information is three days old."

_Speed up and cut the act_, I thought, giving her the eye.

"Bill believes he has met someone who saw Sookie travelling through fae gates, confirming his opinion the matter involves fae politics."

"Alone?"

"Unaccompanied, yes. Bill's exact word."

I mulled over the information carefully, chin resting against my fingers.

"I don't understand…" Pam started, continuing once I made motion for her to do so, "If she can travel unhindered, why not return home?"

Having dealt with the fae and their human dilutions for centuries, Pam had some knowledge of their travels and dealings. Nearly as much as I did in fact. What she said made perfect sense, if Sookie had control over her travels that is; Pam couldn't know if Sookie was or was not accomplished at travel between worlds. She had only recently learned of her connections to the Brigant family, so odds were against her in that respect.

That brought the conversation to rapid resolution.

Considerably satisfied the case was closed for the evening, our conversation spun into talk of business, related to the bar and my trip to Las Vegas.

As our talk drew to a close, she asked with a small twinkle in her eye, her lip curling hopelessly into a smile at one side, "Heading home early tonight?"

"No," I said firmly, resolutely. _Keep out of it Pam._

I'd done nothing since Sookie had been gone to foster any interest along the lines Pam was heading, and I wondered whether her suspicion was cause for concern. It was difficult to determine where Pam's _humor_ ended and where serious lines of inquiry began.

Disregarding Pam for a moment, I considered Bill's placement in everything… what his recent development would mean should the knowledge spread. And it was inevitable it would; he was not cautious enough to cover his tracks, not quite old enough to outmanuever a King's inquisition should it come to that.

I was not looking forward to that mess in the slightest. How to convince a man so far gone in his fixation to give up hope, to stop looking when he'd cracked on to something…

No, that would not be easy.

.

**Sookie POV**

There was some resistance to the beginning of our foursome, but a few hours in the snow served to break any initial misgivings. The grandest snow castle, complete with "underground" tunnels in all directions, and all built by hand at that, had been a great start to winning over the hearts of six year old twins.

And by the end of the week, it was almost as if we'd never been without him. There were still moments where it was more than clear he had poor people skills, but they were more with me than with the girls and we easily overcame the awkwardness, more often than not by laughing it off.

Still, I felt as though there was something I didn't know about him – something important he was holding back. I saw it in his face when I asked him certain questions and he smiled uncomfortably, skirting around discussion of what was currently going on with my fae relatives.

With the girls, for the most part, always underfoot, I let it slide. But when the opportunity came – they were having a lesson with their mother and I caught him alone – I jumped on it.

I all but yanked him into one of the greenhouses as we walked through the garden.

"What in the world!" he exclaimed, steadying himself against the glass door.

I was a little tipsy myself from the surprise, and was leaning against a tall pot of bamboo, waiting for my heart to return to a normal rate.

"Please, sit," I instructed, breathy, pointing at a wooden bench, antsy with excitement. _Answers, oh how I longed for some answers._

"All right…" he replied slowly, sitting down, caution flaring in his eyes.

"Can you tell me," I started, meeting his eyes explicitly for the next word, "honestly…" I watched as he swallowed hard and continued, "Why you're here?"

"I did. Niall, convinced you needed an ally, was happy for me to take the position, for the reasons I mentioned previously."

"But, it doesn't make sense. He couldn't come here – not even for a minute to check and see that I'm all right? And who are you to him that you're a good substitute? No offence, but beyond the fact you're a reasonably sensible guy (_fairy)_ with good business sense and a nice club, oh and pretty handy with snow architecture, I don't know a damn thing about you."

"I see."

"And your sentences, are they always so brief? Is that what comes naturally to you or are you constantly devising new ways to make them shorter. Saving your breath for something important?"

"And do your sentences always run so long?" he countered, not meeting my eyes, massaging the back of his neck with his fingers.

I shrugged, and sat down next to him on the bench, slightly puffed out of energy.

He turned to me, grey eyes bewildered as he looked into mine. The look was intense, not particularly scary or intimidating, just intense; I felt like we were locked in staring contest and many moments passed, assessing each other as if the truth lie somewhere in the limitless depths of ones eyes.

Determined not to be the one who shied away first, I continued to stare just as intently back.

Eventually he laughed, easing up on the seriousness, though he continued to keep his eyes mostly focused on mine.

"Stubborn, aren't you?" he said with a grin.

"What of it?" I replied, biting the inside of my lip to keep from smiling.

"Oh, I don't know. I just like to know what I'm dealing with I guess."

"So do I."

"I knew it would come up sooner or later," he said with an exasperated sigh; I could tell he was banking on later.

He continued, "You're aware Niall is a prince?"

I nodded in agreement.

"And how he came to be in that position?"

I'd only learned recently – he had taken over for the previous King and Queen, killed them Eric said. I expected he had good reason, but I hadn't been able to discuss the matter with him in full. Why I had faith in his reasoning, I wasn't sure – might have been as simple or as complex as our family connections, but I trusted the action was in good faith. After all, I'd killed. In defense… or to protect those I love… and I'd do it again.

I nodded my head a second time.

"What I suppose you didn't know was that they were my parents. The… umm previous rulers."

_Nope. Not what I expected at all. _And I wasn't exactly sure what to say in response. Condolences hardly seemed appropriate, it had been over five hundred years, but then, maybe by fairy standards… perhaps he was still grieving? I opened my mouth to express my sincerest regrets, but he held up a hand.

"No need. I was hardly old enough to understand what was going on. I might have loved them once; I'm not sure… I don't remember. No use dwelling on things we cannot change and for what its worth, I'm happier as I am."

I hardly doubted he could be positive of that, but the look on his face begged me not to question his resolve. I let him continue.

"So, where does that leave me now? As rightful king to something I've no use for. As child to some would call, no… have called, the most evil fairies in our history… They may not have had much to do with raising me, but their blood runs through my veins. If they were incapable, so surely am I. And either way, I don't want it. Niall has been… gracious enough to keep post for me far past the time he was meant to, and having no prospective relatives of his own to inherit the throne… he risks being usurped."

"And you feel no responsibility, none whatsoever?" with the underlying question - _You're happy to leave my family there to take the fall for you?_

"I can't."

"But people expect it of you?"

"They do. I frequently don't measure up to other people's expectations. Never have, never will."

"And Niall?"

"I don't know. Coming here was all I could think to do to be of use to him. I didn't feel right fighting, not for a cause I can't believe in, and yet, it didn't feel right doing nothing either."

"And I'm that valuable?" I remarked sarcastically.

"In a way, yes, very much so. He loves you as he loves the rest of his kin; I've seen it in his eyes. He knows something great will come from you, though I'm not sure what…"

He looked genuinely puzzled; so was I.

"And at the very least, keeping you out of the hands of the opposition, where you could be… well, let's just say things are complicated enough. Keeping you here is the best thing for all parties involved. Finn had foresight, not something I'd peg him for, selfish bastard, but nonetheless he did."

That confused me as well; I still wasn't sure how my connection with Finn fit into everything. It was a bit more sensitive than I cared to discuss with Jack, err.. Nicholas at the time.

"Does he know how I feel being stuck here, unable to do anything, to help, to fight?" _When my cousins are allowed?_ I thought bitterly. It wasn't that I had any strong urges to fight; I just felt worthless sitting around playing while my _pregnant_ cousin, one of the kindest women I'd ever met was potentially fighting - doing something - for _our_ family.

"He knows. He's very proud to call you his kin. Claudine has been training for this her entire life. The fae are very fierce warriors; appearances can be deceiving."

"Did you…" _pick that up out of my mind?_

"Yes, I apologize; I find it hard to keep under control around you."

"You do, do you?"

"Yes… it's like you're shouting at me even when you aren't." He moved his fingers against his temple as if soothing a headache.

"Must be awful." I rolled my eyes; I found it hard to believe I would be broadcasting to him when I'd spent enough time keeping my own mind reading in check.

I pushed gently at his mind to see if I could pick anything up.

"Nice try. The chaos that seems to follow you everywhere has interfered with my ability to shut you out; I distance myself from people and their emotions whenever possible, and you, you're loaded."

_With emotion,_ I guessed he was insinuating. He wouldn't be wrong.

"And unconsciously I must be interested in what you're thinking. My mind on the other hand, it's a closed book – a fortress, one of which you cannot melt," he said with a wink, as if mentioning the snow castle we made a few days earlier would excuse him of all indiscretions.

I wouldn't let the invasion of my privacy go by quite that easily.

"Unconscious interest or not, you'll do your best to stay out of my head – okay?"

He hesitated, clearly thinking something over – either his interest in doing so or the ability to do so; I was unsure which.

"Okay," he agreed.

With that settled, curiosity got the better of me. "So, it _is_ a fae trait then, hearing what people think?"

"You're asking the wrong person," he replied with a shrug of indifference.

After a stern look from me, he added a bit more to his thought; "Fairies are capable of most anything if they work at it hard enough. However, I didn't do a thing to encourage this particular _skill_; it's just always been there."

_Same_, I thought, unsure of exactly what I thought about his frank answer. _Surely he'd spent some time controlling it, strengthening his own mind. Maybe Niall had helped him like he'd helped me? _I felt a little tug on my heart; I hadn't realized how much I missed my newly found family, but I suddenly felt empty, my mind acutely aware of how long it'd been since I saw Niall, Claudine or even Claude. And then Eric… and even somewhere thrown in there Finn.

I had a sudden urge to rush up to the house and seek out his sisters, hold them close to me and be assured that everything would be fine.

I must have been trembling slightly because Nicholas lit a fire in front of us.

"Thanks," I said gratefully. It was warmer in the greenhouse than out in the yard, but still cool, as I'd left the door askew when we entered.

"Sure," he replied.

"So… Nicholas then?"

"Given name, yeah. Though I've had many names over the years…" His voice trailed off.

"Finn said children when he told me the story, that there were child_ren_ left behind." I didn't know what brought that suddenly to my memory, but it was out of my mouth before I thought it through.

"My sister, Alice," he said with an emotion behind it I couldn't quite pick out, so I left it there. I was starting to feel guilty for cornering him.

"Should we head back inside, maybe get some lunch?" I offered.

"Go on ahead," he said, "I'll be in later; I'm going to keep walking."

_Yes, that was how it started – an innocent walk. _

He stood up, put out the fire, and reached out to hold the door all the way open so I could get by. I eased by him and started for the house, looking over my shoulder once or twice to see him walking in the opposite direction, out into the fields.

I wondered if he'd stay or go. He had promised to say, but by his own omission – rarely lived up to expectations.

.

**A/N** Thanks so much for your reviews and well wishes! xoxo


	40. Prey

**Sookie POV**

He came back. Nicholas was at dinner that night, acting as if nothing unusual had happened that morning – that he maybe hadn't spilled his guts to a near stranger. Though I noticed, he opted against sitting with the girls and I in his usual seat.

I breathed a sigh of relief, though my mind was tangled with "what ifs?" After all, I had no plans to change my current plans. While I had settled into a routine around the house, I knew I'd go crazy if I couldn't escape now and then, to spend time with Eric.

My cheeks flared with an intense heat as I thought of him. And placing my hands against my cheeks to cool them down was of little use; they were just as warm – the lightening current of desire rippled through my entire body… straight from my blushing cheeks to my tingling toes, which I stretched with pleasure, delicately slipping them out of my shoes to ride out the feeling.

I'd be forced to tell him the truth; I had no other choice. And then there was the possibility he already knew, that he picked my intentions out of my mind at one point or another, and was waiting for me to go, so he could 'ring the alarms'.

A small pit of worry welled up in my stomach – what would Niall think of the risk I was taking?

_No, no_, I thought, immediately shutting that down. I couldn't go there; I just couldn't dwell on that. I was doing the best I could to stay put. There is only so much you can ask of someone.

Eric was back that night; I'd been counting the days in my head, timing an early morning trip (his time) an hour or so after dinner (my time). That gave me just enough time to…

I hopped up, stirred into action, the blush still fierce on my cheeks. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I leaned forward, pressing my face to his hair by his ear and said, "Meet me in my room after dinner?"

He turned his head slowly, his eyes flashed to mine, seeking out intentions. Next to him, Colleen near choked on some meat. I could care less if she thought I was propositioning him. In fact, I could see the wheels turning in his mind and when he tilted his head in inquiry, I gave a subtle inclination of the head, a near nod in agreement. He knew in a round about way that I'd be asking for a favour that evening and so he was asking for one in return, to get one extraordinarily touchy-feely princess off his hands.

He reached over, placing a hand on mine and gave it a squeeze. "Of course," he said with a twinkle in his eye, dropping his voice an octave before adding an overly familiar, "Sookie," to the end. And even though I was expecting it, a surge of butterflies coursed through my stomach. My vision blurred and for a moment it was Eric sitting there in the chair - tall, well built, with long, golden locks - I hopelessly turned a brighter shade of pink.

He cleared his throat, bringing me thoughtfully back to reality. His eyes assessed me, deep grey with flecks of pure black. There was puzzlement in them and amusement. I suddenly felt violated. He chuckled, low and deep, when I made an effort to pull my hand out from under his. Gripping my hand tight, he added, "I look forward to it," and then let go slowly.

I stumbled back a step, securing my footing on the wooden floor. I expected that everyone would be staring, but a quick look around the room let me know they were carrying about their business, talking and laughing with utter disinterest in my distress. All except one that is. Colleen huffed and used an arm to push me further away under the guise of reaching out for Nicholas to tell him something funny. He spared one look back at me and I shrugged – apparently there was no discouraging her.

I returned to my seat for dessert and bid the girls good evening shortly after. There was entertainment that evening in the library, and I'd already made other arrangements. Shooting a look over to Nicholas before I departed, I watched him excuse himself from the table and follow, a minute or so behind.

Sitting in the chair by the window, I waited for a moment, thinking over the best way to say what I meant to say.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I called.

"I think we might have made things worse," he said offhandedly, referring to the situation in the dining hall.

"You're not the least bit interested? You did sit by her again after all."

"Ha! I did no such thing. I sat next to Corrin, the pleasant one? Usually quite down, with a perpetually sad face like this…"

He gave a demonstration and I found it hard not to laugh; it was true Corrin was rather morose, but then I'd imagine I would be tempted to be as well, knowing the father of my children was god knows where doing god knows what.

"And doesn't say very much," he concluded.

I raised an eyebrow, _so how then?_

"Colleen walked in, slightly put out that the two seats next to me were occupied. One of which by an elder she had no chance of moving, and the other by her little sister, nearly as pregnant as she. Well, it wouldn't do apparently. She made up some excuse about the fresh air from that particular window doing her good after a long day and not wanting to protest, Corrin got straight up and moped her way to the other end of the table. Women!"

"I beg you take that back," I said, appraising him cautiously.

"Sorry, it's just… I'm not use to such close confinement with so many needy women."

_Needy women? _He had better not be shuffling me into that category. I'd not asked him for anything, well not yet anyway.

"You put yourself here," I said, stating the obvious.

"I know. Should have thought twice about that one," he replied, absently rubbing a hand against his cheek.

"No one is keeping you here."

His arm fell slack against his body. "It's the right thing to do."

"If you think so, but I'm _not_ needy. I was doing just fine before you arrived and shall continue long after you're gone."

"I am aware of that."

"Good then."

"So what was it you _needed_ to ask me this evening that required this little trip up to your room?" he responded mockingly.

"I do not in fact _need_ for anything; I just want you to respect my privacy this evening and stay away."

I changed my mind. I decided not to mention Eric; I'd take my chances.

"Got someone else coming up to your room after me, do you?" And then "Oof!" after I punched him lightly in the gut.

"No, I don't."

"Mind enlightening me then?"

"Sometimes a woman wishes to be alone to…" I started, hoping to embarrass him into giving me some space.

When he didn't back down, I continued, "I'm sure you know what I mean?"

"It's not like I stand by your door all night long listening for…"

He paused; I held my breath, perhaps embarrassment was going to work.

Then he laughed, eyes meeting mine in earnest, "I'm not a peeping tom, I assure you. I can tell you're here, safe, without invading your privacy. One of the advantages of this." Using two fingers, he tapped the side of his head with purpose. I immediately picked up on the implication.

And there lie the crux of the problem. I had no plan to be there. Safe, yes, well… relatively. Physically in my room on the other hand? No.

Sighing deeply, resigned to tell him the truth, I opened my mouth, but he spoke first.

"Can we… try something?"

"What?" I asked partly out of curiosity, and in part relief, being momentarily safe from divulging my secret.

"I want you to go somewhere, down the hall, the kitchen, wherever, don't think about it too much, just go."

I must have been staring, because he continued, adding, "magically," to complete his sentence.

"I'd gathered that; I just don't understand why."

"Do you question everything? Forget it; I already know the answer. Goes hand in hand with being stubborn; I should have expected it. You have to trust me. Go."

So I did, popping up to the attic where the girls and I had set up a makeshift stage/theatre. And right on my heels was Nicholas.

"How'd you?" I began, wondering if he'd listened to what I was thinking.

"It's called adherence."

"And it means?" I asked impatiently.

"That you can be followed. It might even be possible for one to arrive before you, lie in wait. Even a half second could make a difference."

A second ticked by, feeling infinitely longer than any other second of my life.

"Let's try something else, if you've got a minute?"

I nodded.

He reached out for my hand, drew my attention to his eyes.

"I'm going to go now; I want you to find me. As quick as you can, okay?"

"Adherence?"

"No, not exactly. Though we should try that another time. I want to see how long it takes you to get to me… if needed."

And with that he was gone.

Five minutes later I returned to the spot where he'd left me. I hadn't been able to find him. Sitting on an old chest, I waited for him to return.

In another five, he did.

"You should _not_ have given up," he said with a hint of accusation in his voice.

"I know what I can and can't do. I couldn't do that."

"I didn't peg you for someone who gives up so easily."

"I'm not!"

"Try again," he said before disappearing once more.

Same result. Except this time twenty minutes later and I was beginning to feel dizzy with all the zipping back and forth. I let my head drop between my knees, sorely missing Gran's soothing arm stroking my back, as I breathed deeply in and out. She'd always been a source of calm and peace when my otherness at times made me nauseated.

When I looked up, Nicholas was standing in the attic with a hand over his eyes, lost in thought.

I tipped my head back down; I wasn't in a mood to talk anyway. I was annoyed… at him and at myself.

I dared not even consider how much time we'd wasted… if Eric was beginning to grow concerned. That final thought brought me out of my self imposed misery.

He spoke slowly, with honesty and a hint of despair, his hands narrating his explanation. "I can't let you go if you can't return to my side. Lord knows if you'll even have need for me, but we can't afford the risk. I was hoping…" Then his hands fell flat at his sides.

"You knew I planned to leave?"

"I could sense something was amiss, and your great-grandfather mentioned the vampire. It was not hard to put the two together."

"And you expected me to ditch him if something came up? If there was a fairy after him because of _me_. You really think I'd be looking to find you and cower? I guess Niall didn't tell you that much about me at all then, did he?"

"As much as he thought necessary. And no, that's not what I'd _expect_. But if you could get me and bring me back, there would surely be a greater chance…"

"I would not leave him," I said sharply, cutting off whatever else he had planned to say.

"I know the Viking you call Eric; he's well accustomed to taking care of himself. I wouldn't worry yourself."

"Regardless," I replied curtly, annoyed that he thought I couldn't defend myself. I'd been through my fair share of scraps, and many of them with Eric. We'd always managed in the past.

"Can you get to Finn?"

_Out of the blue…_ I stared at him, considering what he asked.

"I think so, not that I've tried recently." _My past attempts, conscious or unconscious had all been successful, though with varying rates of success – sometimes he was closer than others. _Deciding that wasn't pertinent to our current discussion, I left that thought behind.

"That'll have to be good enough then. Go now, but promise you'll seek out Finn if anything unusual comes up."

I glared at him and he shrugged.

"Or don't go."

"No one tells me what to do!"

"Not true. I'm sure many people have told you what to do; you've either chosen to listen to reason or not. But you go on ahead and make things worse for you and your vampire by being stubborn. I've got no control over what you do or don't do. I can only make suggestions. If you go missing, it's no trouble of mine. Niall knows you well enough to know anything I could do, save tying you down with magic, wouldn't help. As I've no interest to hold anyone against their will and he knows that, he could not hold me responsible... And before you say anything about immortality; I'll have you know, there are many things worse than death. Many."

A moment of silence passed between us before I spoke up.

"Is Finn a friend of yours?"

"No."

"Why tell me to go to him, then?"

"He's not without resources."

_Back to short answers._

"Fine, I will, though only to go straight back to Eric, whether he follows or not."

"Your choice," he said casually, heading to the attic stairs, hands rigidly stuffed in pockets.

_A picture of perfect serenity indeed_, I thought with a snort before heading off to see Eric.

.

"Mmm hmm," Eric cooed in appraisal, holding my hand and circling around.

I hadn't bothered to change out of my dinner dress, and while I thought I rather looked like a cotton powderpuff, I had to admit the look on Eric's face made it all worthwhile.

"Are you quite attached to this, mm, dress lover?"

"Why?" I asked innocently, trying to keep a straight face.

"I would have thought you'd know," he said slowly, gripping the sash of my dress and pulling me toward him.

_Shepherd of Judea, look at that smirk!_

Even if the dress cost a fortune or was the last piece of clothing I owned, it wouldn't have mattered to me. The prospect of being disrobed by Eric in any manner, sweetly _or_ savagely, was tremendously pleasurable.

My heart began to beat loudly in my chest with the first tear of crisp, white taffeta; his eyes were wild, intensely aware of the change in my pulse.

Since I knew the way to the bedroom, I took a chance, deciding to be impulsive. I wanted to be… hunted.

I broke away from him, watching another piece of fabric, this time from my bodice, tear away. I felt cool air against my chest as I made a run for it down the hall toward the bedroom.

Pausing near the door, I heard a chuckle in the distance, then a low growl followed as Eric moved to pursue me. I moved my fingers to my hair and pulled down a handful, biting my lip in anticipation.

For a moment he was merely a thought, a possibility lurking in the dark, and the next he was there, standing in front of me, his cool blue eyes flickering like candles in the dark. It still took me by surprise, the speed and stealth with which he could move; a breath caught in my throat.

The distance was agonizing, and yet I knew my place in our game as prey; I held back, breathless against the door.

He took a step closer and my chest rose and fell; I had no idea how I managed to take a breath, I must have been running entirely on instinct. Another growl and I felt my body shudder with desire. I was barely holding myself up. Another second and I was sure I would drop to the floor.

Eric thankfully chose that moment to advance, pressing me up against the door, reaching under the remaining layers of fabric to grip my right leg and ease me into position against him.

He nudged my head to the side and placed kisses down my neck. The sound coming from his throat… that buzzed through his entire body was anything but tame as he moved lower, kissing my breasts, pulling any fabric that obstructed his path away with his teeth. Feeling his teeth slide against my skin, along with his tongue and his cool lips, I couldn't contain myself; I moaned and arched my back, pressing myself into him, grinding my hips against him through a film of tulle lining.

Eric released me and took a step back, near disappearing in the darkness; I slipped down, landing softly on two feet. I reached out into the darkness for him and gasped when my hand made contact with cold, hard flesh. He reached forward and removed the last bits of fabric from my body expertly before scooping me up and carrying me to his bed.

.

I wanted nothing more than to stay, to continue stroking his chest, rubbing my smooth leg against his, enjoying the friction of his coarse, blond hair.

Pulling back slightly, prepping myself to leave, I felt myself instantly tugged back against him.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, clutching me to his chest with both arms. I looked up and found he had just one eye open, watching me with interest.

"You know how it is," I said solemnly.

"I do, though I am not accustomed to it. I wish to keep you."

Eric brushed hair away from my face and then slid me gently up his body so he could kiss my forehead.

"Be careful what you wish for," I teased.

"I've spent far too much time being careful," he replied absently, playing with a lock of my hair.

_And not enough having wishes come true, _my mind completed his thought. If only such a thing were possible. I'd easily take Eric in good times or bad, though I couldn't help but wish times were better; as it was they were more often _tricky_ and _complicated_.

"Tomorrow?" I questioned, hoping for a yes.

"Do you have another dress?"

I slapped him gently on the arm, and then smiled, "Yes, I do. Is that a condition of visitation?"

Propping myself up on his chest, I awaited an answer.

"No, lover. Though I would not deny my appreciation if you were to oblige."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said with a playful wink.

He loosened his grip on me, running his hands down my body before I crawled off the bed, searching the floor for any remaining scraps of my outfit - there were little to be found.

"Take something of mine," Eric said, sliding to the edge of the bed, watching my futile attempt to piece something together from the bits of lace, tulle, and taffeta scattered on the floor.

"Wouldn't someone notice?"

"You are going back to an empty room, are you not?" He looked at me with confidence, but I could hear a hint, however small, of suspicion in his voice.

"Of course I am! But what if someone found your clothing amongst my things?"

"You're part fae dear one; you'll come up with something." He stood, offering a hand and then led me to the closet. "And if all else fails, say you created it out of thin air." Eric helped me slip my arms into a black shirt. "It is no great stretch. Am I right?"

His question was most likely rhetorical, but I nodded anyway and he began to button up the shirt, kissing his way from my thighs to my neck before slipping each button in place. I shivered with each kiss, committing the feelings to memory.

"I'd wish for another thousand years to tear off your dresses and bring you to my bed," he whispered into my ear before stepping back to assess my 'outfit'.

_We might have that yet._

"Delicious, lover. Now hurry, before my willpower fails me."

As much as I yearned to have him again, I knew he was right. Touching my lips to his one final time, I let myself fall into the fae method of travel.

And when I returned, I could still feel his mouth possessively against mine. My fingers travelled up to the spot where we had just been joined and I sighed, sinking into the chair by the window.

I probably would have fallen dead asleep just there, sitting in the side chair if not for the soft knock at the door.

.

**A/N** Shark sighting today at the beach! We were just on the grass having dinner when the alarm went off, so it was exciting rather than terrifying. Anyway, it certainly influenced my writing this evening. I love love love imagining both Eric and Finn as wild hunters, probably why I go for dangerous versions of Eric when reading FF. *hehe* There is something there that is just so… swoonworthy, yum!

Hopefully more tomorrow. :) xo


	41. The Letter, part 1

**A/N** This chapter is really just a lot of faffing about. I wanted to put something out there while I'm making decisions.

.

End of last chapter _And when I returned, I could still feel his mouth possessively against mine. My fingers travelled up to the spot where we had just been joined and I sighed, sinking into the chair by the window. _

_I probably would have fallen dead asleep just there, sitting in the side chair if not for the soft knock at the door. _

.

**Sookie POV**

I toyed with the idea of not answering the door. After all, it had to be at least past midnight. _What could anyone possibly want at this time of night?_

_If it were urgent, they wouldn't have bothered knocking. _

_If I stay really still, they'll think I'm asleep._

Then again, two more raps on the door. This time from about halfway down the door, allowing me to guesstimate the height of the party knocking to be around… yep. I pulled myself up out of the chair, grabbed my robe from the bed and messed up the blankets a little as I walked toward the door.

Opening the door with a yawn - a real yawn, with added flair to show that I was not much in the mood for guests – I found Jill, Kelly, and interestingly, Nicholas, haunting the hallway in front of my room.

"Not peeping, eh?" I mouthed, face to face with him as the girls ran past me into the room.

"They've been looking for you all evening. I just brought them up a second ago, thought you might have been a bit busy earlier."

_Aka, I just saved your ass._

"Right, girls?" he called out.

"Yessum," they replied in chorus from the bed with toothy grins.

I left the door open and walked to the bed, sitting on the edge to see what the girls were up to. After a moment's pause, Nicholas followed, closing the door behind.

"How'd you manage to stay up so late?" I asked Kelly, pulling her into my lap.

"We were excited!" Jill declared, pushing her way between Nicholas and I.

"Finn sent a letter!"

_A letter?_ It seemed oddly antiquarian for someone who could be anywhere in a fraction of a second. Then I thought about what Nicholas said about adherence. Maybe he wasn't in a position to take such a chance?

"No, no," Jill corrected, turning to face her sister, "letter_sss_," her tongue slipped between the gap in her teeth, exaggerating the _s_ sound, "we each got one."

She was too precious; I hugged her to me with one arm, wondering just how long her front teeth would be missing considering how slowly she aged. My own were missing for about five months. It drove me crazy at the time, though I remembered Gran getting all teary eyed when they fully came in. I was oblivious, just happy corn on the cob became easier to eat again.

With the other arm, I reached out for Kelly and began tickling her until she fell sideways on top of Jill in my lap, her legs stretched out over Nicholas who had only just caught her before she fell to the floor. It suddenly made sense to me why Gran had gotten all-soft-spoken each time Jason and I passed another milestone.

_Would there be a letter for me?_ I wasn't sure considering how things had been left between us. I hadn't shown him any great kindness.

A moment later, feeling pretty sure I didn't want any kind of letter from Finn, Kelly pulled a crumpled envelope out of a pocket and held it up victoriously in front of my nose.

_I couldn't __**not**__ accept a letter from a five year old? Right?_ I thought, ignoring the "except its not from her, it's from her much older brother who had attempted to seduce me and had uhh, practically succeeded. Actually, I wasn't sure why he hadn't. I'd been more than interested… in my dreams at least" resounding in my ears. It's funny; it was actually because of the end of that thought that I decided to read it. _He'd had enough opportunity. Some part of him was decent enough not to jump at it. _

"What's it say? What's it say?" Jill squealed before I even had the letter in hand.

"Not sure yet, sweetie," I said calmly before drawing in a deep breath and accepting the letter.

Jill shifted off my lap to give me some room. I was glad for that; it would give me opportunity to skip anything I deemed necessary in my recitation. Couldn't exactly do that with prying eyes. She settled in next to Kelly on Nicholas's lap. I'd almost forgotten he was there; he was very quiet during the whole ordeal, yet didn't look put out about the two of them climbing all over him.

_He has a sister_, I remembered, _or had a sister_. I wasn't sure which – it seemed like touchy territory. I wondered suddenly if she was older or younger. Couldn't be quite as young as the twins as his parents had been gone for half a millennium, or I thought as much. I wasn't truly sure how anything worked. I wished I'd gotten more out of Finn when I had the chance. In spite of his deliberate evasiveness, he was like Mr. Chatty when compared with Nicholas.

Having to remind myself I was only _here_ so that I would never have to see him again, I frowned, sliding my finger along the seal of the envelope. It suddenly felt like a grand contradiction to be so highly anticipating whatever lie inside.

I was building it up to be more than it was, for all that was written was,

_Miss Stackhouse,_

_I hope you are well and are enjoying your present company. Knowing my family, I've no doubt you've got at least two curious admirers hanging about as you read this letter. Hello Kelly! Hello Jill! _

The girls giggled simultaneously.

_I wanted to inform you, if you have not yet heard, all is well with those you hold in your spirit as friend or family. I will have you returned to them all as soon as I can. I imagine they miss you greatly. _

_With most gracious regards,_

_Finn_

"That's all?" Kelly asked curiously.

I flipped over the page, trying to keep my own bewilderment masked.

_Nope, nothing on the other side. _Yet I found it hard to believe that's all he had to say to me. He could have just put that as a postscript in some else's letter. I guessed our… whatever it was, was truly over.

_He has nothing to say to me. Then, I have nothing to say to him. _

If I'd been alone, I'd have crumpled the whole thing in a ball and tossed it out the window. Instead, I carefully folded it back up, put it in the envelope and reached over to put it on the side table.

"I guess it's back to bed then?" I said mechanically. It was way past everyone's bedtime now, mine included.

"Can't you please tell us some more about Prince Elwes? We really want to know if he really bowled over all those snakes in the jungle with a coconut," Jill pleaded.

"Personally, I don't believe it," Kelly said sceptically, conceding when Jill gave her a harsh look, "ok, ok, maybe he was a fairy price then Sookie?"

_No, no he most certainly isn't. _But I answered, "yeah, maybe," and Kelly perked up.

My head wasn't clear enough to be telling stories. And that just jabbed me like a pin in the side.

_I didn't care. I don't care, _I repeated rhythmically in my mind until Nicholas cleared his throat loudly and gave me a slight nudge with his elbow.

Glowering at him, I racked my brain for the next adventure in my story and kept falling flat.

"If it's all right with you girls, I've got plenty of stories. I could share one if you'd like?" He offered.

They agreed begrudgingly, but were soon thoroughly absorbed in his tale. I found myself rapt as well, wondering if his had any threads of reality running through them as mine had. It was hard to tell; he was quite eloquent, he didn't dumb the story line down for the younger audience as many adults tended to do, though he added gestures and amusing voices as he went…

But all I could think, though I laughed with them at all the seemingly _funny_ bits, was how misfortune could sound ironic in a story, even comical, but in real life it was quite the opposite. I hoped they were just well known fairytales, ones that hadn't escaped out into the human world quite yet, but I think deep down I knew and my heart broke for him.

.

**Finn POV**

Jason had a habit of waking up early. I could hear him scrounging about in the kitchen around 6AM. With anyone else, I might have thought it was worry keeping him awake, but I'd known him long enough to know that's just how he was. An earlier riser. I wanted to curse him.

It wasn't so much that we [the fae] needed to have sleep, I'd been deprived long enough to know my limits and this was no where taxing them to have to wake up daily with the sun, but that I found myself enjoying the down time. Looking forward to that part of the day where my mind rested and everything was right with the world.

For when I was awake, alert… I had to acknowledge what a disappointment I'd become to all the people I cared about. I'd let down my father, who had now unwittingly joined sides with the man he was trying to remove from power and I'd gotten my brother married to a Brigant for I was pretty darn sure he was going to go through with it, especially now that there was a child involved. A fae child meant only one thing; it truly was love that bloomed between them.

I was torn between my joy for my brother and my own resentment for the way the entire debacle had played out for me.

_It's not like you went into it with the best of intentions_, I reminded myself.

As if intent was enough to save someone. Wasn't that the damnedest thing? No one cared when something changed inside those who begun walking down the wrong path; he would always be the villain. No matter what he did to right his wrongs.

_Why try then?_ It wasn't as if I would set some precedent just because I willed it so.

Then the little voice sprung up again, _Why not?_

And the always helpful, "it couldn't get any worse" or "what is there to lose?" echoed somewhere in the background as well. Useless phrases the lot of them. There was always something to be lost and any fool knew that just when you thought things should be turning in your favor, you lost, and you lost big time.

The world wasn't always a happy place. I've no idea when I started thinking it was.

A coffee grinder began to whiz and it dragged me away from my contemplation, which I began to think was bordering on self-harm. It wasn't doing me any good to consider what was happening. I would just have to take things one at a time.

_How very human of me?_ And so funny considering my surroundings.

I swung a leg over the side of the bed, running my hands agitatedly through my hair. My eyes met my own as I grudgingly sat up, a reflection in the full-length, antique mirror by the bed. I was looking a bit rougher than usual with a few days worth of stubble and bedhead like I could hardly believe. But rather than fix it, I strolled out into the kitchen as myself as I'd ever be.

Jason was leaning against the door of the fridge, sorting through to pick out what looked like eggs and a slab of meat – bacon, I think.

When he turned around, he looked a bit spooked by my presence. I just smiled, inwardly chuckling. It was one of the only amusing things that happened in my day, surprising Jason at any given moment. Soft footsteps, I guess.

"Geez, man!" he exclaimed, barely keeping his grip on the carton of eggs. "For a big fellow you hardly make any more noise than a mouse." Then he smiled, setting the grocery items down on the counter. "You'll teach me how to do that, right?"

"Sure," I agreed amicably. At first, I was surprised by how keen he was to learn battle tactics and manuevers, but as time wore on, I could see he had a gaping hole in his spirit he was trying to fill. The loss of his grandmother, his first wife, and what he thought was the loss of his sister – no, I'd told him where she was, he just thought she didn't want anything to do with him regardless – had made an immeasurable mark on a man who didn't always put his best foot forward, more often than not it ended up in his mouth.

I had some experience there myself, even though I was very close with many of my family members. Having enough of them, I was fortunate enough to pick and choose really. Had I but one sister I wasn't sure I'd have fared quite so well. We might truly have been in the same boat then.

"So, what are you thinking about today? I was thinking maybe after all that sword stuff, I could take you down to Merlotte's and buy you a drink."

"Whoa, not like that," he continued when I winked at him in jest.

We both laughed as he scrambled the eggs together in the pan. It was good to clear the air. Sometimes tension ran quite high in that house with both of us internally beating ourselves up over what we'd done wrong by Sookie. I guess that was the unifying thread in an otherwise complicated arrangement.

I hadn't planned to stay in Bon Temps and train a very unlikely soldier for a war that wasn't likely to accomplish anything, but everything had kind of just fallen in place.

He was in shambles when I'd found him, though he'd killed the fairy that did his woman harm – I give him credit for that – even if he didn't consider her his woman anymore.

"We'd… we'd just been fighting… over something so, so stupid.. an… and," he blubbered.

I immediately thought I had no tolerance for him. Fighting with women only led to distraction. When you're distracted, your guard is down. And when your guard is down, that is when you are killed. Why else had I no woman around?

I valued my neck, that's why. Because other than that women were fine company – warm, inviting, pleasant to look at and touch. But I hadn't met one yet with no desire to argue, someone who let the little things slide.

And part of me wondered if I'd even want to because what sort of woman would that be anyway? Probably not a woman at all, but a cow in disguise. Woman weren't meant to be domesticated; I'd admired enough of them to know that. And now one who was particularly untamed, and by the gods I desired her – in spite of it or because of it I wasn't sure though I was tempted to believe the latter. Though I knew the whole idea of it was off the table and I'd be better for it. Living a long life for it.

Looking at the ground upon the fairy with iron rebar through his side made me blink twice. I wondered if he had a woman waiting for him.

I took Jason back to Sookie's house as I knew there had been considerable charms placed upon it and he would be safe there. With one fairy dead on the floor, it wouldn't be long before others showed up. I'd been lucky to get there when I did. Or maybe unlucky, only time would tell what my involvement with her town, her remaining family would do, what difference it would make to her or to me in the long run.

"So we'll go?" Jason asked for a second time.

"To Merlotte's? This is where Sookie worked?" I had to admit, there was a large part of me that was curious to see the place just because of that.

"Yeah, she works there," he said, not quite clueing in to what I was getting at.

Once more I was thankful for Jason's simplicity; it saved me a lot of time explaining myself. I'd probably not have stuck around if he were always truly interested in my thoughts or wanting to know _my_ _personal feelings; _I heard humans discussed these things to great lengths.

It wasn't that we didn't get on or even that we did not have intelligent conversations – we did. He just didn't think to push things further or maybe he just had the sense to know when not to and I was discrediting him. Either way, it worked for me.

I had a quick think over how safe it would be to stroll around Bon Temps at night. Something I wouldn't have given more than a minute to for any other teeny, out-of-the-way town just like it, but Bon Temps… ha. Enough things had happened there for me to be wary.

Still, with the two of us…

"Yeah, should be ok," I said, conjuring up a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit.

"Are you sure that can't be taught?" Jason asked in awe while plating his breakfast.

"Yes, entirely sure, sorry," I said thoughtfully. I thought I'd better not bring up the notion of sorcery with him. Black and white magics weren't as innate as fae magic, but there were ways of making breakfast time easier with either. The trouble was really in that each came with their own set of complications. And further, in what I thought Sookie might do to me if I turned her brother to a life of witchcraft.

The image of the fairy with the rebar flew through my mind again and I zipped my lips even tighter.

.

"So, this is what its like inside Merlotte's?" I said casually as we walked through the establishment in search of a table. I'd left Sookie outside the bar one night, actually I'd met her there as well, in the woods by the edge of the parking lot so the place held something for me, however odd.

I tried to imagine her scurrying about, taking orders and carrying drinks in her small black shorts and white t-shirt. The second part was easier to imagine than the first, I remembered what the shorts looked like and had to sort of sidestep to the right to adjust myself and avoid impending embarrassment. Not that Jason would have asked – like I said, a man of unmatchable quality.

But carrying food and drinks for the people inside the bar? No, I just couldn't picture it. Not the girl I'd met. Not that I saw anything wrong with the job in itself, particularly if it made her happy, it was just hard to imagine.

_Maybe in time… when things settle down, I could stop by and… _No. I shut that train of thought down and locked it away. I was there then because I needed to be. _I will not make cavorting with humans a regular part of my life. _And as soon as the thought occurred to me, I felt ashamed. There I was in the company of humans, for the most part, and I had the audacity to resort to elitism.

"I've got the first round," I said to Jason in some pathetic attempt to make up for what I'd just been thinking.

"Sure," he agreed, then in a lower voice added, "you've got money or you can make that out of thin air too?"

"I've got money," I said noncommittally, patting my back pocket where I'd stuck a wallet stuffed with provisions a human would be expected to have.

"Well, all right then. I see a table just over there." He pointed. "I'll take whatever's on tap."

I returned a few moments later with our drinks, sliding his across the table to him. A couple of girls had cornered him and while I was sure he didn't hate the attention, I could see a look in his eyes that said he wasn't quite over the shock of what'd happened to Crystal. It'd only been a few months.

Of course in my attempts to clear the area of his admirers, I seemed to only transfer their affections to myself, which was not at all what I'd intended.

_Damned if you do, damned if you don't. It's those cursed intentions again._

And then, a gruff looking guy with sandy brown hair came by, calling the girls by their names, asking them if their mothers/fathers/grandmothers knew where they were. A few hisses and stomped feet later and the area around the table was clear once again.

"Many thanks," I said to the stranger, lifting my glass.

"Yeah, thanks Sam," Jason chimed in.

"I don't know what I just broke up, but those girls are barely legal Jason," he said, giving Jason the once over. Then he turned his attention to me. For what its worth, he didn't back down.

I found that most people took a step or two backward when they met me, and not just the ones who had some knowledge of my royal standing. So I had a fair bit of respect for those that didn't. But there was something different about this one - the bastard just stood in his place, staring us down like we had waltzed our way in there just to pick up some tail. I did not care for his underlying implications.

"Wha? Us? No. Those girls came to us. I just, Sam, you know about…"

Sam put a hand up in apology. He knew; he didn't need to hear Jason say anything about Crystal. I think it was more me he was having a problem with. That's the thing about small towns – they're not too big on strangers.

"Finn," I said pleasantly, holding my hand out.

"Sam. This is my bar," he said with a firmness that matched his handshake.

_Shifter. I knew there were more than humans there when we'd walked in. _

"So, what brings you this way?" he said making casual conversation.

Casual indeed.

"Just passing through, staying at Sookie's for a time."

The mention of Sookie brought an immediate tension to Sam's face. After a moment, in which I could see it strained him a great deal, his face settled back to cool indifference.

"And what do you know of her?" he said, looking back and forth between Jason and me for a second.

"Family friend," I said just as casually, to which Jason nodded in confirmation. "When I'd heard what happened, I offered to help look, do anything I could really," I lied.

"She never mentioned you," Sam said, appearing to think something over.

I thought back to Amelia, who Jason and I had seen just a month earlier. Had she told anyone? No, I didn't think so. But maybe before she knew, she might just have said something. I knew Sookie had confided in her about the _dreams_ and she might have thought them a bit curious.

But if so, Sam's face didn't show any sign. He quickly excused himself, saying he had some ordering to take care of.

"Don't mind him. Sam's always had a bit of a thing for Sook," Jason said, starting in on his second beer

"But they never…"

"Nah, went on a date or two maybe, but Sook had eyes for someone else."

"The vampire, Eric?"

"What? The big blonde one from the club in Shreveport?"

I nodded.

"No, Bill. Real fine southern gentleman that one, not sure what happened between em, though I'm kinda glad it did. Now don't get me wrong, I can understand because of her… um condition that she'd rather not have a normal guy, but I'd sooner see her marry a were like Quinn than end up with a bloodsucker. Though as far as vampires go – Bill is all right. Not too sure about Eric, she doesn't tell me too much."

He half smiled and took a big swig of beer, looking more than a little uncomfortable. He'd mentioned before that he and Sookie had a blow out and weren't very close.

It was amusing to me that he thought a were was much different to a vampire as a match for his sister. I guess in a way since they breathed and shared many similar attributes to humans that was why. A genetic glitch they called it, whereas vampires were dead. I could just imagine the type of things they would be cranking out for their big reveal. Also there was of course that Jason himself had a bit of that in him that made him more sensitive to their cause.

"She would be glad to know you're thinking of her," I offered, more than curious about how this Quinn character fit into the picture, but letting it slide for the sake of being decent and addressing his hurt.

"Maybe," he said cautiously, "or maybe she wouldn't be too happy her friends have had to come bail me out. I still don't understand why she sent you to watch out for me."

She hadn't. And the act in itself was not selfless on my part. It fell under the category of things I thought Sookie might _appreciate_ when the time was right when I was allowing myself to think like a fool. It was a great deal of time after we'd met that I found myself liking Jason, keeping a watchful eye over him in earnest.

I'd had enough younger brothers to know that all he needed was a good role model. I was positive his grandmother had done the best she could (I'd met Sookie), but I was a firm believer that a man needed strong men in their lives to truly fulfil his destiny. Jason was still a boy in many ways and I couldn't fault him that. Human life was so short; there weren't many opportunities to make the leap. And then there was my own mother, who would most likely swear on her life that I hadn't either.

"Did you ever think I'm maybe not here for you but rather to impress Sookie by making sure her brother is still alive when she gets back?" I said in a moment of honesty laced with humor, winking suggestively.

"I don't know whether to laugh or punch you in the gut for that one." He paused, thinking for a second… "Hey! I don't know that I've given you a nickname yet."

He had given me dozens of nicknames while we'd been training – none of them too nice and not one of them had stuck longer than a day luckily.

"Finn _is_ a nickname," I replied with a smile.

"Shit. Is that right? What's your real name then? All this time, can't believe I didn't think to ask."

I chuckled. "It's not a story for out in public, but I'll tell you sometime."

"Oh yeah?" He dug around through the plate of fries a waitress brought over, picking out the crispy ones and popping them in his mouth.

"Yeah, a bit embarrassing," I admitted honestly. Among humans anyway.

"When'd you start getting called Finn?"

"My mother came up with it…" I paused, remembering. It was so long ago and yet the scene was etched vividly in my memory. My hair had been dark as the night since I was born and yet Finn suggested fair-haired. It was an odd contradiction, many people asked me about it. There were very few I told the true story to. Jason was one of them.

I looked around the bar, convinced that everyone was too busy with their own conversation or too drunk to care and told him about the night I received the long scar just below my ear. And even though it had been hundreds of years, I felt the sting of the blade against my throat as if it were happening in that moment. I had a sudden urge to speak with my mother, to see if she was feeling the same thing as she had an identical scar.

And then I wondered if the letters I'd sent home had made it and I wondered beyond all things if Sookie would throw away my letter or if she'd pick it up a second time. I'd given it a little charm to ensure the true words only came to light when held for a second time. Firstly as a deterrent for curious parties (my sisters who I knew would want to hear what was 'written') and secondly because I felt my words would be in vain if she happened upon them the first time. In short, all I had left was my pride.

.

**A/N** Thanks for reading xo Cass


	42. Thing Two

Chapter 41 left Jason and Finn at Merlotte's passing the time and Sookie in her room with Nicholas, Kelly, and Jill listening to a story. Back to Finn and then to Sookie in this chapter, I tried it both ways and I think it's better this way, though you'll see how they coincide toward the middle. ;)

Also, a note – it will come up that Sookie has met 2 of Finn's brothers – Callum (who is engaged to Claudine) and Cian (who she killed with Eric in the hotel room, remember mr. creepypants ? Ch 26-28 eww!!)

Ps. This chapter is for **peppermintyrose** whose lovely review gave me the idea

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**Finn POV**

"Wow," Jason said, smiling in awe after I concluded my story. "No wonder you're close," he added without a hint of jealousy, though I could see he was thinking of his own mother in that moment.

Had he been able to save her, I'd no doubt he would have. I gave him a look that suggested as much and he smiled awkwardly. It was a new look for Jason Stackhouse, modesty; I knew that much and I hoped he and Sookie would be able to repair their rift. Blood would always be thicker than water.

While I'd often gone long stretches of time without seeing my family, I always respected the ties that bound us and enjoyed (for the most part) our time together.

To express that, I went with a true statement, and though not overly emotional, it bore the full weight of my heart, "I'd trust her with my life."

"And that's why you left Sookie with her?" he asked.

_Perceptive, Stackhouse. Must run in the family._

"Exactly. There is no one she'd be safer with," I said with a half smile.

"Not even you?" Jason mused.

"I haven't got those… womanly sensibilities," I said offhandedly.

He nodded, then took a swig of his beer, emptying the glass.

It was true, my mother often had foresight I lacked. Yet, I failed to mention the true reason was I'd promised to stay away from Sookie. And more than that, I'd had a part in using her for personal gain. Suffice to say, I had not told Jason the entire truth regarding our first meeting.

And it wasn't that I was afraid of the punch in the gut he offered for demeaning his sister, but rather it was imperative I had his complete trust during that time… to ensure we all made it through alive. One misstep, one second of hesitation from either party would make a difference.

No, that's a lie. I could have left the both of them to their own devices and kept my family out of it. Maybe Niall would have rescued them, maybe he would have cut his losses. I would never know. The only thing I did know was that I wanted to take the risk and my mother, and by extension my family, had faith in me.

"I'll get us some more drinks," I said as I slid my chair back, looking over at the bar.

"Sure, Thanks."

When I turned back around with the drinks, I noticed that my seat was occupied, and moved just about as close to Jason's chair as the wooden legs allowed – the seats were less than an inch apart, and her bottom slid over to make up the difference. I could only see the back of her head, but I was sure she wasn't one of the girl's from earlier. She had dark, jaggedly cut hair and a long, lean body. As I took a step closer, I picked up her scent.

_Fae._

She was demonstratably biding her time, so I decided against immediate action. She would have already killed Jason if that were her intent. If she was who I thought she was, I was pretty sure she'd want to have her fun with him first; I'd seen Crystal's body.

I changed my path and approached from the left, so I could get a good look at Jason's face. He appeared distracted, caught up in her web, but he broke from the haze when our eyes met.

She turned to face me and her seductive smile faded to a scowl.

"Neave," I said as casually as possible. She was one of Breandan's followers, and a particularly vicious one at that.

"Finn," she regarded, her mouth curling into another smile, this time aimed at me. Looks could be deceiving, but I was well aware that all of her attractiveness was on the outside, not a speck in.

"I've got some… business here," she said coyly.

I watched Jason's eyes flash back and forth between us; his body was as good as tied to the chair. I smiled to set him at ease and then directed my attention back to the murderess at our table.

"I have business here as well. You will leave," I said confidently.

"I want him," she said with a sneer.

"You can't have him," I replied, adding, "not now," as if it would lessen her bloodlust so we might relocate the showdown.

My eyes roamed the room, a few people were already glancing in our direction. _Witnesses_, exactly what I didn't need.

"What do you care?" she questioned, sliding out of the chair to stand in front of me.

In one motion, I twirled her around and held a knife against her back, pretending to sway to the music. "You don't want to start this here," I said thoughtfully, as if I were doing her some great service.

"Where then?" she said, her voice breathless with curiosity.

I could feel her body growing degrees warmer by the second against mine.

"You're sick, you know that," I said.

The words flew out of my mouth as the truth before my mind could catch up. It was a delicate game we were playing. I needed to keep myself in check so as to not give anything away.

"I know. I've always got room for one more if you want to join."

She eased herself up and down against the knife, letting its sharp point slice through her skintight dress and draw blood from her now-exposed porcelain skin. I took a small step back, loosening my grip on her, watching the drops of blood collect and snake their way along her bottom and trickle down her leg.

"No," I seethed through clenched teeth.

She leaned backward, placing her head on my shoulder and cooed with delight.

"My brother would not have wanted me to waste an opportunity, and neither would yours," she cackled, still swaying to the music, arching herself against me in hopes of finding pain or pleasure; it was all the same to her.

So Cian _was_ wrapped up with Breandan. I had my suspicions, and her words just confirmed them. Though she seemed oblivious as to the connection between Jason, Sookie, and I. _Had he not told them of our link? Why try to please our father if he were associating with Breandan. Unless Breandan knew that Sookie could be used as more than a pawn…_ _but… my own father didn't even know that. How could he?_

"Let's take the boy somewhere and be done with it then," she continued, "I've got another one of them to see to after this one. Another blonde, a girl though. You'd like that better maybe… watching us? I could even play nice for a while, maybe."

I doubted it.

I couldn't see her face because I had her turned away from me, but the fake softness of her voice combined with the look on Jason's face was enough to push me over the edge. We both knew who she was talking about.

"You will leave. And you'll do it _now," _I said threateningly, punctuating the now as rage started to seep into my voice. I felt the control I'd spend centuries refining slipping away from me.

"Or what?" she giggled, the sound from her mouth positively unnatural.

"I'll kill you here. I'm not above having to explain myself. The human mind is something I've much skill at altering."

I hated having to say it in front of Jason, it would bring about questions I didn't want to answer, but she needed to know she could disappear in an instant and no creature would be the wiser."

"Even more reason to stay. Please baby, we could have so much fun together."

It took everything I had not to slice her open right there and throw her to the wind. But it would take time to clean up that mess, time to change everyone's memories of the event and hope word didn't somehow still spread.

I knew they were relatively used to oddities occurring in Bon Temps, but I had a feeling a 'woman' bursting into a glittering mess would take the cake. And in the time it took, someone might come looking for her. _Her master perhaps_, I thought with distaste.

Rightfully, each fairy should belong to themselves, with certain duties to their family and perhaps to the crown in desperate times, but without the perversion of allegiance to another. And perversion was certainly the word to describe the relationships Breandan engaged in with his followers.

She was being difficult.

I could think of only one thing to get her mind off of Jason.

Sookie.

"We can't do this here," I said calmly, changing my stance, pushing something else against her back.

"Where then?" she said softly, rubbing herself against me.

"Have you heard of Na Tailte I Bhfolach?"

Her tone became wistful, dreamy, "Yes, it's real?"

There was no doubt she'd heard about the lands my family kept hidden in stories when she was small, though it was hard to imagine her in that instant as a having ever been a child.

"Aye, it is," I was laying it on thick, "I have the girl there. Go now and wait for me, I'll bring more playthings."

I squeezed her hip firmly as I whispered in her ear.

"Him?"

She pointed at Jason.

"Of course."

I was staring Jason down, not winking as to give anything away she might detect, but eying him with so much intent I thought my eyes might pop out of my skull. He had begun to stir, apparently creeping out of her spell, and I didn't want him to run away spooked. I hadn't a clue what Neave might do if he did.

"I'll go," she said, before whipping around to face me. "And I'll see you there."

She kissed me then and I did my best not to spoil the act. I grabbed a fistful of her hair and pressed her into me, grasping her bottom lip within my teeth as she eased back. Her eyes flooded with anticipation. My stomach recoiled.

Jason's eyes were round as saucers when she let go of me and went to him, running one long nail along his jaw with enough pressure to leave a red welt behind, but not hard enough to break the skin open. Yet she brought the finger to her mouth instinctively, as if to taste blood. Unsatisfied, she released a wide grin upon Jason.

"I'll see you there too doll," she said before sashaying out of Merlotte's.

At least she'd enough sense not to pop out on the spot. I hadn't picked her for that sort of tact, and I wondered then if I'd made a mistake. She could easily return to Breandan and tell him what she knew about Sookie's whereabouts. I could only hope I'd made the _opportunity_ so enticing, she'd save it for herself.

Jason's eyes met mine as he scrambled to stand up, wanting to test his legs to make sure they still worked I guessed – that's what I'd have done; they were a mix of so many things – waning trust, confusion, worry, hope.

"Let's go, eh?"

"For you and her to kill me or to go save Sookie?" Blunt. Better that than cagey.

"Neither. We're going back to the house."

He nodded, albeit skeptically. At least for the time being, hope trumped distrust. I could work with that.

I called the waitress over, settled our bill quickly, and then we left. Unfortunately, we created quite a stir and near everyone was staring at us by that point. All I could do was shrug, sharing a look amongst the men that said "Women, who knows?" and giving the women a warm look so that they blushed and kept their thoughts to themselves. A few didn't buy it – notably Sam, and a brunette waitress who couldn't take her eyes off Jason. I hadn't the time to ponder either.

As soon as we were outside, I escorted him towards the woods and together we disappeared into thin air. It was a new development; I'd been taking him short distances to see if he could handle it. His natural abilities weren't as finely tuned as Sookie's but he was making progress. There was still something innate in there that no genie trick could dispel.

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**Sookie POV **

I had been well on my way to falling asleep when the room was suddenly flooded with light.

Finn's mother had thrown the door open wide and once she had everyone's attention, she remarked calmly, but boldly, "Everyone out! Except you."

She was pointing at me; of course. Me and my ruddy luck.

The girls scooched out of bed, Nicholas helped them down to the floor and so did Finn's mother, Anya. My limbs were all tingly because I'd had my legs crossed and a six-year-old girl on each arm. I kind of lifted and shook them, then paused in midair when the prickling sensation was too strong. I wasn't sure if I'd need them very soon; it was a strange thing for Anya to burst in, though she was keeping relatively calm.

I listened as she made her goodbyes, giving the girls hugs and a kiss on the cheek and placing a hand on Nicholas's shoulder in reassurance.

"Goodnight my darlings. No, I assure you Nicholas, all will be fine. Good evening."

Then when everyone was gone, I moved to sit up properly and she smiled.

"You can stay just where you are. It will make it easier," she said as she pulled out a long iron knife with a marble end. She handled it cautiously, making sure to only be in contact with the marble as she unwrapped it.

"What are you doing?" I wondered out loud. _If she wants to kill me, she could have gone with something else, iron is very dangerous for her to be handling. Or, wait, I forgot. My immortality? Maybe I __**was**__ like the fae, maybe iron could kill me and Finn hadn't wanted to tell me for some reason. Though I'd never reacted to it in the past… _

"Don't worry yourself dear. This isn't for you. Well, it is, but not like you'd think."

That didn't ease my thoughts at all.

"I apologize. That did not come out at all like I'd expected. Oh, here, I can feel it now. One moment."

She held the short sword out straight at about shoulder height, eying it, appearing to judge its placement for a moment before another figure popped into the room, making contact with the sword immediately. Her body went one way and her head the other, and the iron had not moved at all. Anya went to great lengths to wrap it back up and I sat upright in the bed in shock, not knowing what to say.

My eyes traveled from Finn's mother, fastidiously securing the weapon, to the decapitated head on the floor – infinitely beautiful, though lacking something… I couldn't decide what. And as I tried to put together the pieces in my mind, the physical pieces began to take on iridescence and flake away. I'd seen it before, though I'd been too caught up in other things to watch how beautiful the process actually was.

I couldn't decide whether it was morbid or not to be engrossed in the process of her falling apart, it seemed to me to be like enjoying a rainbow in spite of the rain.

"What a mess!" Anya declared as she tucked away the knife for safekeeping.

My eyes flashed to her again; I'd nearly forgotten she was in the room.

"But so beautiful," I murmured, still mesmerized by the way the light in the room reflected off the particles.

"Yes, that it is," she said softly, "It's easy to forget, even after all these years, that those with the blackest of hearts can leave behind such purity. I wonder if its all the goodness they had inside that they never utilized. Or if they were so deceptive through and through that their own remains reflect the trickery. Quite beautiful in life she was, if I remember correctly, as well. Lends the theory of deception more credence, I believe."

As I'd just watched her hauntingly beautiful face depart, I had to agree.

"Who was she?"

"Neave, sister of Lochlan, also recently deceased. Followers of Breandan. You received a letter from Finn; he would have told you about Lochlan?"

I shook my head.

She looked confused, but sat down to tell me the story anyway. About Crystal and Jason and the fairies that followed Breandan. There were a few things I had been told, but the majority I hadn't. And of all of it, the thing that incensed me the most was that Jason was getting some sort of training, whether it be defensive or offensive and I was left behind sitting on my ass. If not for Finn's mother, I might have been toast. No matter how safe Finn thought the place he dumped me in was.

"But I don't understand," I said. "Why is it that she, Neave, could come here, and others haven't?"

"They wouldn't know where you are. It's impossible. The secret is so heavily guarded, there are members of my own family who know not of who you are or even that someone else is here. She would have had to hear from Finn directly. I'm sure of it."

"He sent her here?!"

"Yes, though not to kill you, clearly. Why protect you in the first place if that was his intent? He would have relied on me to well, you saw."

"How could he know you would be here when I needed you?"

She paused, thinking, then took my hands within hers. "You're very beautiful too, Sookie, though I believe your beauty runs through and through. I will tell you my secret, well one of them," she laughed, pushing hair behind her ear. I could see the faint glimmer of scar tissue on her neck as the hair moved back, then fell in place.

"I have the gift of foresight. A nuisance at times, but an incredible advantage over my enemies on occasion. I learned of this three days ago, I've been waiting."

"So you told Finn to send her?"

"No, when one wishes for a vision to come to fruition exactly as it was shown, you must not interfere. The trust between us is great enough for me to know how it _would_ happen, though not how it _should_. He wouldn't have been afraid to send her, though I doubt it was his first idea. I was meant to stop her. I interfered only when necessary. That is the key."

"You saw me die?"

"No. Though I did witness your suffering and I'm glad to have spared you that as if you were my own daughter."

Anya wrapped an arm around me and we sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before I turned to her.

"If you're wondering if I can give you answers, I cannot. If I've learned anything, it is that nothing is definite. I merely see possibilities."

She moved her hand in the air, as if to demonstrate a great number of things were possible at any given time.

"And everyone is capable of that if they look hard enough. Having them forced upon you does admittedly make you more aware, particularly of dangerous situations, but it does not always get you out of them. We were lucky tonight. My son has more trust in me than I think he should at times, but then he's always had a reckless streak. You would know what I mean though, it's similar with your gift."

She was right. Someone could train themselves to read subtleties and 'extract thoughts' from people. It wasn't the same as having them come out at you in a stream, but you could sometimes pick up on intent without having to delve into minds; people had been doing it for centuries. And, like her, I wasn't sure if my ability was really much help at all. It seemed to get me in more trouble than it saved me from. Though I was more than grateful for her gift that night. Reminded of it, I took that moment to say, "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure Sookie. I would dislike letting Finn down very much, and I've grown quite fond of you myself."

_She had? In what time?_

"I see more than you think," she said with a smile.

"Are you telepathic?"

"Heavens, no. That trait doesn't run in my family. Just perceptive, dear. You'd do better talking to…" she faded off, leaving the thought open ended for a moment before settling on "…Niall, when you get the chance."

Somehow I doubted that wasn't her first thought, but I had very little luck reading fairies without them letting me in, so I didn't even try. It also seemed a little ungrateful to intrude on the woman who had just saved me.

"Will you be content to stay in here this night? I will send someone to clean up in the morning. It is quite harmless and I'm sure no one will be following her. You are most welcome to come stay with me or with the girls though if you'd feel safer."

"With Kelly and Jill?"

"I ushered them out this evening as I knew it would be no trouble to slay one fairy and I'd much prefer to shield them from violence so young, but they are more than capable. They've both killed their fair share of boogeymen and trolls in the woods."

She must have caught sight of my face, because she laughed and reached for my hand.

"Not our woods, the wild woods. You're quite safe wandering around here. The girls go hunting with their father sometimes in the beyond. A necessary part of life. They've gone with Finn as well. I'm gathering he hasn't taken you there yet."

_Yet?_

"Kelly has killed one of our kind," she said, directing the conversation in an unexpected direction.

"She was pardoned, not that that in itself should mean a great deal to you considering that my husband and I are the ones who pass judgment here.

Another black soul. I don't know if that makes a difference; I'd prefer not to kill at all, but if they're evil all the way through it makes it easier to accept. He wanted to marry our baby, and take her away to live with him until she was old enough. Antiquated customs; I don't buy into them. I've always let my children choose based on love; for some it has worked out with great success, and others… well, you've met my son."

So far I'd met three, though if I had to put money on it, I'd guess she was referring to Finn. A stray thought popped up in my mind, I wondered if she considered the one who tried to kill Eric and I a success.

"This man refused to take no for an answer, and made plans to take her forcibly. He would have too if she hadn't fought back; I didn't foresee it. I don't know why. The girls both share my gift, sometimes it clouds things between us where one will get an important piece that the others miss out on.

Though mostly they still only get gibberish; they're young – it takes some time to develop. We are still working on it. However, Kelly received the vision clearly that night and as a result it was her responsibility alone to change the outcome. My interference could have helped, but it also could have made things worse. I'm proud of her.

I taught my girls to fight from the second they could grasp something in their hands and I'm glad for that. It was the way my parents taught me and for as civilized as they call the world these days, I don't see much civility in practice. People take what they want when they want it and if something should get in their way, well… all hell breaks lose. Either way, we've had no more marriage proposals, and I'm glad for it. In another hundred years perhaps, of their own choosing, but absolutely not before."

A wordless moment passed and she spoke again, "I'm certain they'll be my last. I'm in no rush for them to leave."

"I wouldn't be either," I said honestly.

She smiled.

"I apologize for the long story at this time of night, but you would be out of harm's way with the girls. Between the three of us, Finn knew you would be safe. And if you've got any desire to join him in this battle, you'll have to excuse me, I saw your face before when I mentioned he was teaching Jason, I'd be more than happy to help you."

"Why wasn't I given that option before?"

"I was strictly forbidden to force myself upon you. I was to wait for you to come to me. I took a bit of liberty when I decided to come to you this evening; I hope you don't mind."

Squeezing my hand gently, she winked.

"Not at all… and I'll think about it, the rest. But for tonight, I'm fine staying here."

We said our goodnights, and she gave me a kiss on the forehead, shutting the light on her way out.

I turned on the lamp by the bed and stared at the crumpled envelope on the sidetable. Picking it up, it somehow felt heavier than before, but I couldn't bring myself to read it, knowing it was so meaningless. I tucked it under my pillow and turned out the light, unable to fall asleep.

.

**Eric POV**

When I woke, there were many things to be done. I was behind on work at the club and while the work was occasionally dull, it was a part of owning the business that I had come to enjoy. The monotony of it cleared my mind and I needed that more than ever.

I also needed to put in an appearance at Fangtasia. I'd been away for a considerable amount of time and had been missed, or so Pam said.

Then I had to make arrangements to find Bill. I was torn between going myself and losing contact with Sookie or sending Pam, but then I might have to let her in on the ruse. I was certain Bill would not come back without explanation, not when he believed he was onto something.

It was infuriating how obstinate he was. And he got away with a great deal because of my affection for Sookie. As long as he was in her good graces, he had to remain in mine, regardless of the stupid things he did; and they were many. It was more than irritation I felt for being put in that situation with her. But when forced to choose – I'd chosen Sookie each time.

And while difficulties arose with telling Pam the truth, I feared there would also be repercussions if I did not. Pam was very much my child – cool and calm with a face that masked nearly all emotion, yet I knew she worried for Sookie. It seemed cruel to let her be concerned. Not that there wasn't reason for concern… there was, but not to the extent she might have believed.

I eased her thoughts by telling her I could feel Sookie through the bond, that I knew she was all right, but it wasn't the whole truth. I could feel her when we were _close_, and only then. I lived night to night or sometimes several nights in a row without knowing a thing, trusting that she was safe where she was.

Why didn't I fight her on that? I knew the fairy, Finn, was not there, but I still didn't _like it_. She told me as little as possible and I waited for her to be more forthcoming about how she spent her days and she hadn't. Part of me didn't want to know, and another knew that it was pertinent to my cause.

While I had no idea what she went through daily, if she was mostly happy or sad, I did feel as though I would know if she were killed, that I'd feel something different, perhaps a hollowness where her essence had been inside me, but I was not sure.

It had been decades, maybe centuries since I'd shared my blood with a woman, probably long before Pam and then there was the fact that Sookie was unlike any woman I'd been with before that made things _unusual_. She had so many distinctive bloodlines running through her… _It is entirely possible that her blood could be having more effect on me than mine on her._

_That is something new to ponder_, I thought as I prepared for the long night ahead.

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**A/N** Thank you to xxNAJKxx, ajknight, and JoXx for your reviews too I didn't get to reply individually because these reviews were anonymous, but I loved hearing from you just as much.

Many hugs to everyone! Have a great weekend xo Cass


	43. Memories of the Grove

**Recap :** _Last chapter_ - Jason and Finn had a visit from Neave. They sent her away and Finn's mother, Anya, killed her. Sookie considers improving her fighting skills (which thus far have come down to luck) and Eric wonders if his affection for Sookie is real or a by-product of her unique ancestry.

A conversation with Nicholas from Ch 39: Fortress will help if you're feeling lost toward the end. I know I'm crap at updating, and like writing these obscurely detailed stories. :\ I miss Samantha, she always kept me on task! LOL

**Chapter 43: Memories of the Grove**

_**Sookie**_

For a while after the attempt on my life (however brief), my nerves had been so riled, I double-checked everything. Even under the bed before I went to sleep, as foolish as it may seem.

The folk stories the girls were telling me at night had clearly wormed their way into my brain.

But by the end of a few weeks, I'd stopped looking over my shoulder every time I heard a noise.

I don't know what I was keeping my eye out for anyway – mischief somewhere, I suppose.

The whole fae method of war was new to me. Everything was so secretive because they had places where they could hide out. Even the 'front lines' weren't how I'd think of them, certainly nothing like what was found in human history textbooks.

With vampires, my companions for several years prior, it seemed as if things were sorted out faster. While the planning may have taken longer than I thought, change came about within weeks, sometimes hours. From what I'd picked up talking to Anya, their battle had been going on for hundreds of years with no resolve.

And she didn't have much to say about me being dragged into the whole ordeal; she was too in the moment for that; I didn't see her as the type of woman to have regrets or hold grudges. Though she was stubborn for sure, and along with many others there, she refused to give up seeking some sort of stability.

"Give them an inch and they'll take a mile."

That was what she said in regards to Breandan and his followers.

"The power hungry won't stop at one crown."

I think that's how I came to admire her – even though she was the mother of a man who'd swindled me and another who'd tried to kill Eric and me.

I was very tempted to broach that latter subject with her – what makes a bad egg a bad egg. If anyone would know, I figured she would. She was the wisest person I'd met. Apart from Gran that is. But I couldn't bring myself to ask her; I was there relying on her hospitality after all.

It was hard not to think of Gran, or compare the two women. Would Gran have pulled out "there's no fighting fire with fire" in that situation or would she have agreed with what was going on, what I was essentially becoming a part of? But then there are things about Gran that I hadn't always known. Things I still have a hard time understanding, even now.

For the most part, Anya seemed like a lovely mother and a great deal of her interactions with her daughters reminded me of Gran - firm, but kind. It was hard not to like her. I'd joined in on the girls' classes and they adored her. I tried to remind myself that part of the awe might be owed to her heritage. Fairies were notoriously deceptive, and adept at hiding it. She could teach Claude a thing or two if it was all put on, that's for sure.

During the lessons, she was attentive, noting that I excelled quickly and was innately strong - full of will and talent. It was not exactly what I'd planned on being skilled at in my life, but it was better than having nothing.

The girls were always keen to lend a helping hand and in general, I was thankful for the things I was learning. I'll never discount the adrenaline rush that comes with being surprised; it hadn't let me down. But being prepared had its advantages too.

The girls and I spent a great deal of our free time out in the woods; I'd also taken to walking out in the woods before going to see Eric. It seemed a less conspicuous departure point. I could be anywhere out in the woods, but only a few places if someone were to look for me in the house, even if it was the largest 'house' I'd ever been in. The woods reminded me a lot of home and a smidge of Finn. I tried to concentrate on the former.

Nicholas came along sometimes, but he appeared more and more sidetracked as time passed. He asked about my relationship with Claudine a few times (her fairy godmother type role) and I wondered if he wanted out of whatever agreement placed him there in the first place. He seemed itchy. It was more than obvious, that he didn't like his role within the fae world and I noticed others looked at him a bit peculiarly at times. Subtle, but there was something bigger going on. I wondered how many of them held him accountable.

I wished I could talk to Niall. Or even Claudine. But I was afraid that if I reached out to them, it would somehow get back to Anya (or maybe even Finn) that I was leaving or sending messages. I was risking the security of everyone when I travelled back and forth.

So I saved my outings for visiting Eric and even then, I felt more and more guilty about the chances I took, as I grew closer to the people I was spending time with.

The remorse left me feeling lacklustre about the whole thing. And even Eric appeared preoccupied, which didn't help. He always had someone or something else to be concerned about and very rarely shared the news with me. I knew that Felipe's minion, Victor, was breathing down his neck and that Bill was talking to witches and fairies overseas, but it was like pulling teeth to draw the information from him. He would have to get over keeping things from me if it was going to work between us, even if he thought it was in my best interest. I wanted to be the only person concerned with that, but I let it slide temporarily. I needed someone on the outside, someone who reminded me of my life before, so I didn't lose myself in fae.

All in all, I didn't like that everyone in my life was so distracted (combined with the fact no one appeared to be telling me the whole truth about anything). Everyone was preparing for something. I suppose, so was I. I just didn't know what for.

I went to visit Eric two or three more times before he went away on a trip – a goosechase to find Bill. It seemed like a bit of a pass-off to me. We left each other on reasonable terms, but with everything that was going on, for him to leave me there without Bill, without him, it felt like abandonment.

And he'd refused to tell me where he was going or let me go along. Even though things were OK in fairyland, I wanted my life back – or at least the life I'd begun to forge with Eric. I'd have given up working at Merlotte's at that point; I knew I could be happy without it.

Sam (and the whole town of Bon Temps) was probably safer without me around anyway. My mother said the land was ours to protect, but I still didn't know how to feel about that. Or about her at all.

She was even more aloof than I remembered and I got the feeling that was all she'd ever be. So intricately tied to the earth that she wasn't 100% her own.

Finn said she'd been damaged by her grief. I wanted to believe that was part of it, because if it was my fate to end up like that, I sure hoped there was a way out of immortality. I still have love in my heart for her, but I didn't want to join her.

Eric had Pam staying at his house while he was away, and knowing the precaution was intended for emergencies only didn't stop me. I had to talk to someone I considered a friend before the whole convoluted mess fell into my lap. Well, before the fairies. Though if I was being honest with myself, the mess started much earlier.

.

I easily made my way through Eric's security to the guest bedroom and waited for Pam to wake from her daily slumber.

Pacing the room, I thought about all the things I would ask her if given the chance.

.

A mere fraction of a second passed between the sound of the coffin opening and the crash of my body against the wall; Pam was holding me up against it by the throat.

_So much for all that training._

Her eyes blinked as she stared up at me and I looked downward, struggling for air, watching recognition settle across her features. It couldn't happen fast enough and when I thought it had, she still didn't let go.

Keeping me in place, she warned, "You shouldn't sneak up on resting vampires, Sookie. Eric would have instructed you. Nice to see you're alive by the way."

I wasn't going to stay that way for long if she didn't let go. Realizing that fact, she set me down. I wanted to argue with her, but getting oxygen back into my lungs seemed the prudent option.

"Yes… we..ll…" I sputtered.

"Anyhow. Can I help you with anything in particular, my telepathic friend? Or did you just come by for a chat. A good old fashioned heart to heart?"

Pam smirked.

"I don't know, Pam. I guess just the chat. I'm getting bored over in lala land."

Not entirely true. I was enjoying my time there, particularly the time I spent with Finn's mom and sisters, but I knew anything I said to Pam would end up back with Eric, so I spoke cautiously.

"You've been with the fae all this time?"

I nodded, eager to move onto another topic.

"Not enjoying your time with long, lost kin?"

"It's not really _my_ family I'm spending time with. Speaking of, have you seen Jason? Has Eric been to see him?"

"Eric is in Europe dear, did you forget?"

No, I'd most definitely not forgotten. That would imply I'd been told in the first place. I had no idea where the cat and mouse game between Bill and Eric was playing out. I was left to trust that whatever Eric was up to, it was best for everyone involved, though it sure didn't feel like it.

I must have been scowling because Pam looked brighter than ever.

"I have not been to see your brother. Though I would be glad to visit if you desire. I hear he has rather appealing company at the moment."

"Pam, don't go if you don't think you can handle yourself."

"Worried about your fairy boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend, Pam. But with all things considered, that I'm relying on the graciousness of his family at the moment, I doubt you killing him would be a great thing for me."

She feigned astonishment at my accusation.

"I wouldn't kill him. Such a waste of a deliciously attractive man."

"Like he'd come out of _that_ interaction unscathed."

Not to mention my brother, I didn't want him becoming a casualty of that playdate.

"You really don't know anything about him, do you?"

"I don't know, Pam. But it sounds like you're gearing up to tell me I don't."

"I am powerful for a vampire of my age, but Finn has been around as long as Eric, possibly longer. He is not without faculties. While I'd like to play, I'm not certain I'd be the one leaving uninjured. That said, I would still drop by to check in on Jason. Just say the word. I'm sure the fairy scent has rubbed off on him..."

"No thanks Pam, just forget I mentioned it."

"Thinking of going over there on your own? Eric wouldn't approve."

She was taunting me. She had to know the instant she said Eric wouldn't like it, I'd be tempted to jump at the option. Could she really be that bored? Or a better question – was I really that predictable?

"No. Not yet anyway."

"As much as I would like to stay and continue this conversation, some of us have jobs to attend."

"Fangtasia?"

"Someone has to run the place."

"It wasn't my choice to stop working."

"Sookie. Always so hell-bent on choices. Do you ever relax? Let life take _you_ on a ride for a change. Don't answer. I suggest if you come back, it had better be with a real issue. Not that I don't enjoy seeing you, but Eric will not be pleased by the risk."

"Sure seems pleased enough when he's around," I muttered to myself as I popped back into Fae.

.

_**Finn**_

"You're smarter than people give you credit for, Jason."

"It's easy to not live up to expectations when no one holds any for you."

"But your grandmother, Sookie always spoke so highly of her?"

"Gran did her best, but she believed in the adage _'boys will be boys.' _I always got away with more than Sookie did. And I was older when our parents… well, you know the story. I didn't have half the deference for authority that Sookie did. No amount of wooden spoons broken across my backside was going to teach me any differently."

"A rule breaker; I can identify with that. Get into many fights?"

"A _few_, you know… here and there. Chased girls mostly."

It was entertaining to consider how parallel our lives were. But I suppose I'd never truly listened to a human before. Not on that level.

"Ah yes, I remember what it's like to be young."

"How old are you anyways? I mean, that's not a rude question, right?"

"Nah. In our world, age is revered. The older the better."

I winked.

"And I'm old enough to know I've wasted a great deal of time doing much of the same."

That realization was recent, but I kept that fact to myself. Let him think I was some sage old man; it could only help our cause if he respected me.

And a selfish part of me wanted to keep the ruse going. I hadn't been able to with Sookie (much to my chagrin), and I knew it wouldn't last forever with Jason, but it felt nice to be a good guy. Not that I'd call myself evil, but my actions haven't always been above board and certainly not for the greater good. I looked out for myself first and foremost and my family when it was asked of me. It was a new feeling to care about others for the sake of it. To empathize, rather than criticize.

_Oh hell. The world is going soft and I'm going down with it._

_**(Sookie)**_

On my return, meandering through the woods, I ran into Nicholas. He was sitting with his back to a tree, staring off into the distance. It seemed to be too much of a coincidence for me to walk away without saying anything.

"Waiting for me to return, were you?"

"It's on me if you don't come back."

"I don't need anyone keeping tabs on me and my life isn't exactly being threatened here, though I'll leave when I see fit."

He cocked an eyebrow.

"And if you think I'll be giving you a heads up, you've got a screw loose. Why did Niall really send you?"

"Hell if I know."

_If Niall even has anything to do with it. I have yet to receive confirmation of that._

"You think I'm dishonest?"

_Stop reading my mind. _I broadcast the thought as loudly as I could, hoping the headache it caused would keep him from poking around in my thoughts.

He didn't look ruffled. _Where was Amelia when you needed her?_

"Well, I imagine that's on track with what you know of our kind. Believe it or not, I have not misled you. I've told you what I know of the current situation. And I'm starting to believe this here is more about me than you. Sorry, that came out wrong. I'm not quite that self-absorbed."

He smiled to ease the tension in the air.

Completely unruffled if he thought it was time for cracking jokes.

I tried another tactic to rile him, "A lot of this falls on your shoulders. Maybe Niall wanted you to see that."

"You think I didn't know what was going on? Just what am _I _supposed to do about this?"

He stood then, with his outrage burning just under the surface; I could feel it. I wanted him to let it out. I know from personal experience that keeping it bottled up doesn't help anyone and secretly I was hoping some details about what was going on beneath the surface would come out.

"No, I believe that you knew at least some of what was going on, but holing yourself up in some bar, playing human, you were so far detached from it."

"Playing human… Playing human? Who in the hell do you think you are throwing around judgment?"

"You tell me. Everyone seems to know what's going on here except for me."

"Poor Sookie. Everyone you know cares about you and are trying to spare you from heartache and pain. I can't imagine anything more miserable."

"Don't patronize me. I'm not going to bite."

"But isn't that what you were doing? Hoping I'd lose my temper and spew forth everything you wanted to hear?"

"I thought we had a deal."

_You weren't supposed to be listening to my thoughts._

"I thought I told you I like to know what I'm dealing with."

"Well… that's only slightly deceptive."

"Must be genetic."

"A sinkhole for blame. How nice to have one of those."

Chuckling wildly, he paced back and forth in front of me.

_An odd reaction, but whatever. Maybe he is considering calling it quits._

When he stopped, he looked me dead in the eye.

"I'm not leaving. So you can get that out of your head. I'll do what I can for Niall here."

'_Because I don't have it in me to do any more than that.'_

_Sorry? Did he say that or think it? _

Had I just _heard_ him?It sure seemed that way.

_**Eric**_

"Hmm… I see. I am of the same opinion. I'll be in touch."

Closing my cellphone, I glanced around the room. It was the seediest hotel I'd been in for some time. I'd had a tail on me for the better part of my trip from the US to Germany and it seemed the only way to shake him was to slum it. Not that I was looking for a vacation experience, but as a vampire, I couldn't stay just anywhere.

The establishment had all the necessary provisions for vampires and because of the relative filth, it flew under the radar of most. For the most part, it was inhabited by new vampires, ones who had recently left all they knew behind. I recognized the look on their faces, remnants of humanity mixed with horror and excitement. Many of them would not make it through their first year; I could tell simply by looking at them when we passed in the hall.

_It would be the greatest pity if our lifestyle came down to this. Some may take issue with outdated laws and the antiquity of our hierarchy, but it clearly served a purpose. _

These were sad, pathetic creatures with no one to look after them, to train them, to warn them against turning others without due cause.

But that wasn't the reason I was there. Bill had been there only a few days earlier. I recognized his alias on the registrar. I was close.

It was a foolhardy thing to do, chasing after him. It would lend credence to the thought that I cared about what happened to Sookie, which could be used against me. And while that wasn't the true reason I was after him, there was validity in that statement and issues clearly stemmed from there. I cared far more than I ought.

Was it only a matter of time before my mind tweaked like Bill's? Would I truly _do anything_ to keep her?

I could not pin down when I'd lost the upper hand.

.

A/N you know the phrase what goes up must come down? I'm kinda on the reverse here. I'm sure it'll get better, I just need to make up my darn mind.

Ps. I wish Alcide was in this story, he is soooo unbelievably cute on True Blood. The beard… the plaid… gah! I can hardly get over it. *drool* But I promise, no more characters in this nutty mess. LOL


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